The Nighttime Cats: Green Eyes
by averypotterwarrior
Summary: StarClan comes together to help fix the broken Tribe Of Rushing Water, which has, after many seasons, fallen apart, resulting in rogue cats who know no spirituality nor kinship. Four kits of kin are raised in separate Clans, and grow to travel to the sun-drown-place and lead these rogue cats into a new generation of Clans, which is where our story begins... [completed]
1. Chapter 1

**FORWARD (THE PROLOGUE FOLLOWS THIS FORWARD, SERIOUSLY YOU CAN SKIP THE FORWARD IF YOU WANT)**

The author of this fanfiction wishes to clarify a few points before publishing her story.

When she was young, she read the original Into the Wild series, as well as FIrestar's Quest, and half of the New Prophecy. She had lost interest when the perspective was shifted from Firestar's POV. Then, years later, she reread the original Into the Wild series, and was inspired to finally write her fanfiction, which she had conceptualized many years ago and finally had the inspiration to bring it to life.

This is that fanfiction.

All of that being said, some facts regarding "the sun-drown-place" and the "Tribe of Rushing Water" may not match up with Erin Hunter's story. She apologizes, because she did _not_ reread anything past the original Warrior's series. She really does apologize. Like, seriously. But it was all necessary in order to truly link her fanfiction with the original story, even if some details (like the landscape) were changed. She hopes you don't mind and can read past the things that may not line up in that way.

The entire story is finished; 330 pages on microsoft word which she will upload as she edits them. The story is FINISHED, although all of it may not be UPLOADED yet. She asks for time :)

When starting the story, she drew her own map. She decided to upload it to make it better sense and will be uploaded in chapter one with an explanation. She is seriously sorry about the map: there's a reason she writes and doesn't draw. Seriously. Really sorry about the map.

A lot of research went into her fanfiction. She based the "sun-drown-place" (AKA the Clifflands), the main setting of the story, in the Florida Keys, in order to use the nature of the Keys (marsh lands, mangroves, sand dunes, dunnarts [kinda like mice],tayon berries, glasswort, and other things relevant to the Keys) even though, obviously, cats don't have to swim major lengths of the ocean to reach the sun-drown-place. She asks you to please allow yourself to use your imagination because otherwise nothing will make sense and the week she spent researching the Florida Keys will be for nothing. :D

And last but not least...That's it. This is just the prologue...obviously, the true story starts at chapter one. The writer sends her best wishes as you read the story...writing it kept her bipolar in check, her addiction under control, and her depression alleviated. It was written after she moved back in with her parents, after dropping out of college and quitting her jobs due to her suicide attempt following three years in active addiction. Reading has always saved her...and now she's allowed it to again. There are adult themes in the book, hence the rating. Some may be sensitive to younger readers, despite the demographic of the novel (HARRY POTTER AND WARRIORS ARE FOR ADULTS TOO!).

LAST FOREWARNING: THERE IS NO LEMON IN THIS BOOK. NONE. THE AUTHOR DOES NOT EVEN APOLOGIZE BECAUSE SHE DOESN'T EVER WANT TO READ OR WRITE ABOUT CATS HAVING SEX. JUST NO. PLEASE NO.

And without further ado...

Please enjoy Warriors: The Nighttime Cats.

 **Prologue**

Shapes of lithe cats dressed in the sparkle of stars and the shine of the moon sprang into the clearing, a clearing which was otherwise empty of life. The four trees incasing the dirt-cladded hollow stood quietly, emerald-green leafs rustling despite a lack of wind. The clearing had not been visited in many seasons, and the trees welcomed the visitors under the rise of the full white moon. A tom, pelt black like the coldest night and white like the gentle glow of the moon, leapt upon a boulder jutting out at the end of the hollow.

"We have not met here in many moons," he remarked comfortably, settling into a seated position, his long tail curling around his forepaws.

A blue cat pelt whisked with the shine of the stars appeared next to him, matching his relaxed composure. "That we have not, Tallstar." the she-cat agreed with a small purr. Two other cats met them on the smooth top of the rock, each giving a small nod in agreement.

The darker of the two, brown stripes hugging the night of his pelt to case his muscular frame, spoke darkly. "But for the right reasons, Bluestar?"

The last cat, the largest of the four with his sand-colored pelt flicking with the sun on each grainy hair, gave a slight mrrow of laughter. "Does she ever, Raggedstar?" he too, wrapped his tail around his legs, a teasing tone in his voice. "Bluestar is always carrying us to our next noble cause!"

Bluestar cocked her head to the side and faced the darker cat questioningly. "I wonder where your anger stems from, Raggedstar?"

Raggedstar returned her stare with one equally as searching. "Hardly anger," he meowed simply. "Though I do wonder what next quest you wish to send our cats on. They have settled into the lake territory nicely. I do not wish to disturb this period of peace any sooner than we have to. I would not think Crookedstar is eager for the change you imminently bring either, Bluestar."

"Rich, coming from ShadowClan." Crookedstar retorted, his fur bristling. He unsheathed his claws. Though StarClan cats never resorted to battle, the tension filled the clearing and rustled the leaves of the trees surrounding them.

"Enough!" yowled Bluestar, her voice bringing a quiet even to the trees. "Are we falling back to petty jibes? We have not met in many seasons; let us not mark it a dark occasion. Let us instead celebrate the evolution of the Warrior Code as we see it."

This piqued the interest of the cats. Tallstar spoke first after a lapse of silence. "And by this, you mean these four kits, Bluestar?"

Satisfied with their attention, Bluestar straightened her back, sitting tall among the cats larger than she. "The Tribe of Endless Hunting has watched over the sun-drown-place for many, many ancient seasons, as many seasons as we have watched our own warriors. The have witnessed the destruction of their tribe, cats scattering into hostile states of seclusion. The cats no longer have any purpose, fighting each other needlessly." Bluestar paused, dipping her head to the four black kits on the ground of the living far beneath them, mewing helplessly and bumping blindly into each other. "These four kits are to be the solution. They are to bring the Warrior Code to the sun-drown-place."

It seemed to take many moments for Bluestar's words to sink in. "The Tribe of Endless Hunting?" Crookedstar echoed.

Bluestar spoke confidently, as if having rehersed her words many times before this meeting of ancient leaders. "We have watched the spectacular growth and progression of our clans for many seasons. As Raggedstar said, they have reached a period of peace. Their leaders noble and wise, warriors strong and loyal, apprentices eager and intelligent. There is peace among the clans, for the first time in a long time. We should guide them to share the noble code that has allowed them such peace."

"Using these four kits." Raggedstar meowed doubtfully, looking down at the exposed, vulnerable kits on the island, alone but for the stars looking over them.

Bluestar spoke animatedly now, with the excitement of a young cat being heard by her elders. "Read the possibilities of the future carefully," she urged them, jumping down from the boulder to pace in front of them, as if the enthusiasm in her voice extended to her paws. "Each raised in different clans, the cats will know clan loyalty and the importance of four clans, while the bond of blood will be strong enough to lead them to their futures when the time comes."

"Bluestar." Crookedstar spoke quietly and subdued, as if pacifying the excited dreams of a kit. "Four sibling could never know separate clan loyalty. Time has proved over and over again, the same blood in separate clans causes distress and difficulty. The future you read for these cats is noble, indeed, but simply not plausible."

Bluestar lost the sparkle of excitement in her eyes, the dark blanket of night covering them. She sat down once again, still on the ground in front of the other three ancestors from the prime of the forest. There was a small ripple in her starry pelt, but she forced her hair not to bristle. Bluestar had been prepared for hesitation, and the patronization, but she was certain of the fate for these four kits.

"I have considered this as well, Crookedstar. And have felt your doubt. But I implore you to read deeper into the stars. Cats with warrior blood, have without a doubt, been unable to ignore their patronage." Bluestar paused, wrapping her tail around her paws and raising her head to meet the eyes of each leader. "But history shows that cats brought into the clan from the outside have always been the ones to challenge themselves, to prove themselves worthy. If these kits are each brought up and apprenticed by the clan leader, taught not only the ways of the Warrior Code, but what it means to lead a clan…they shall be prepared to bring peace with the Warrior Code to the sun-drown-place. StarClan has an opportunity to stretch their paws farther than we ever have, to mingle with ancestors never met, to expand our knowledge and wisdom in a way never considered. This is that opportunity."

All was quiet for many moments as Bluestar's words were considered. Tallstar was staring at Bluestar searchingly, Crookedstar out to the swatch of stars that made of Starclan, and Raggedstar to the boulder beneath his feet, eyes pulled together in immense thought and concentration. It was Tallstar who spoke first.

"And that is why you chose to meet here, Bluestar?" he didn't speak in a tone that gave away his position on the matter, only understanding to one of the many mysteries surrounding them. "To remind us of the noble Firestar?"

Bluestar blinked in acknowledgement. "Firestar serves as an excellent illustration of non-clan blood rising to save all of the clans from a mortal peril. Just as these kits shall serve as leaders of a new generation of clans."

"Cats have made the journey to the sun-drown-place almost many times now. It would not be impossible." Crookedstar considered, mainly to himself, still watching the swatches of stars surrounding the hollow, lighting the stardust in the cat's pelts. "Nor improbable that the cats could be successful."

Instead of speaking, regardless of the first words of fickle support to her readings, Bluestar simply stared at Tallstar, willing him to speak. And so he did. "Bluestar is right. This is a favorable chance to extend the will of StarClan and the Warrior Code. Who knows of the advantages this could present in the future?"

Bluestar resisted the urge to wiggle in excitement like an apprentice being praised, instead jumping up on the boulder to sit shoulder-to-shoulder with the other ancient leaders once again. She took her place next to Raggedstar, the only tom who hadn't spoken a word of consent, however wavering Crookedstar's was. She forced herself to put on an air of patience, while inside she was itching to bound across the sky in anticipation.

"What say you, Raggedstar?" Crookedstar finally asked for her, tearing his eyes away from the stars and peering into the inky black midnight of Raggedstar's eyes. "Shall we give these kits a chance for greatness?"

"Will our assistance," Raggedstar spat the word, looking up from the boulder with frustration bristling his fur. "even be welcomed by the broken Tribe of Rushing Water? Shall we risk wasting so much precious time and energy of the clans, who have finally met peace for the first season in many, for cats who may rebuttal against the Warrior Code? Shall we, too, waste limited words and guidance on the assumption they shall be successful?"

"Your concerns are valid, Raggedstar." Bluestar conceded with a flick of her tail, meeting his angry gaze with a level one. "We shall have to place trust in the Tribe of Endless Hunting to allow their cats to be touched by the will of StarClan. But can you foretell the greatness in the future, should these kits be successful, should the leaders appointed to the protection of our beloved clans provide them the tools to be so? Can you see ShadowClan's future, deep in the stars of the sun-drown-place?"

At the implication of ShadowClan's future greatness, Raggedstar's hackles relaxed, his piercing gaze turning thirsty. Even in StarClan, ShadowClan still exemplified its truest trait: a thirst for caliber and distinction. He considered her words for only a moment before dipping his head. "Very well," he growled, as if assenting grudgingly. But a new sparkle of stars in his eyes as he finally glanced into the future gave away newfound motivation for the four kits. "I expect you shall make sure each kit is placed appropriately in each Clan, Bluestar?

"So it shall be." Bluestar said contently, relaxing completely for the first time since meeting at the ancient Four Trees above. She peered down as the first cat of the Gathering approached the island where the kits mewed piteously; a sleek gray tabby she-cat from RiverClan. Bluestar nodded approvingly. As Crookedstar and Raggedstar bounded away to meet the other ancient cat spirits as the Gathering began, Bluestar watched over the kits for a few moments more. As cats crowded the island, she couldn't help but let a purr escape her.

"I can't help but wonder about your dedication to the future of these kits, the future of the broken Tribe of Rushing Water, Bluestar." Tallstar meowed pleasantly, settling down closer to her, observing the cats crowd the kits, sniffing them curiously. A few looked up to the cloudless night sky, looking for answers in the stars. "Are you truly so sure in the expansion of the Clans?"

"I am, Tallstar." Bluestar responded, licking the stars imbedded in her glowing blue fur for a moment before continuing. "Are you not impressed by the future written for these kits?"

"I am," he consented. "Though it shall be difficult to guide them down such a certain path. It shall take an ever stronger bond between the Clans and StarClan to bring them to success."

"Which is what makes now the perfect time, while there is peace and complacency among the clans. They shall work together, yet apart, to bring these kits up in the manner prescribed by us. I have faith that our Clans will be successful in this." Bluestar sounded certain in her words, finally bounding off the rock, peering down to the cats below them. The moon brightened, and a single cloud in the formation of an even-sided cross slid over it.

"You put much faith in the cats." Tallstar observed, pointedly looking at the ominous message Bluestar decided to send. The cloud settled in front of the moon, sliding away slowly. One moon, broken into four even quarters, providing a bright light in the dark night sky.

"Do you not?" Bluestar questioned, but not in a way to challenge Tallstar. She found him to be the most sound-minded of the ancient leaders, always open to interpretations of the Clan's futures, observing it with gentle claws.

Tallstar blinked in affirmation. He could sense the fly-sized point of concern and worry in Bluestar that the cats, in fact, would not meet the destiny that she so desperately hoped they would. But Tallstar did not say anything of comfort, knowing that if any cat could guide the cats into a new, prosperous future, it would be Bluestar. And with that thought, he bounded from the rock and into the forest, dashing through the stars to the island where the Gathering was now in full swing, leaving Bluestar to her thoughts, her hopes. Her reverie.

"One becomes four and four will lead one," she whispered quietly, as if to herself. "To the sun-drown-place and beyond."


	2. Chapter 2

The first thing she noticed was the cursed blue sky, not a single cloud in sight; the dry heat was coming off the sun in waves and sinking past her white and gray kitten-soft fur, prickling the sensitive skin underneath uncomfortably. The second thing she noticed; a new, strange sent.

She wondered out of the bush she had taken her nest in, stretching out her limbs in the soft sand beneath her paws. The sand directly around the bush was shaded, protected from the sun, but she knew if she ventured out any further in the Dunes, her delicate kitten paws would likely suffer from burn.

She shook herself, grains of sand falling from her pelt, and she took a few steps forward anyway. It was close to sun-high, and the sand _was_ hot on the pads of her paws. Quickly deciding she didn't care, she opened her mouth to get a clearer sense of the strange new smell.

 _Cats!_ She realized quickly, her bright green eyes widening. They definitely weren't beach cats, she knew. She would have recognized the scent. Could these be the cats that resided on the Bigcliff? Or maybe the mysterious cats that seemed to come from the ground?

She bounded after the scent-trail, following it down the beach. It wavered closer to the water, over the hills of the Dunes; she felt a pleasant blow of the salty sea wind comfort her hot pelt, never-minding her burning paws. She took a deep inhale, almost missing the sudden turn of the scent-trail in the wind that the waves carried, turning abruptly back into the Dunes.

The little she-kit slid down the Dunes after loosing her footing from turning so quickly, receiving a mouth full of sand at the bottom of the sandy hill. She shook her head fiercely, attempting in vain to push all of the sand on her tongue out of her mouth with her sharp little-kit teeth. She growled in frustration, taking it out on a small clump of sunflowers, leaping at the tall, yellow-petal brown clump at the top of a stalk as it gently waved in the wind. She landed directly on top of it, taking it down with her, landing on her feet, but just barely. She hissed at the sunflower, batting it with small white paws before remembering her task at hand. The strange scent!

She bounded toward the green scrub behind the Dunes, where the scent was leading. The dunes did a good job separating the beach from the green scrub, but it was more than a hassle to be leaping back and forth to follow the scent. But she didn't care. This was an adventure!

She kept a firm lookout around her, not just for the strange cats that carried a smell so foreign, but also for other potentially unfriendly cats. Not all the cats on the beach were welcome of passer-byers. If she passed an unfriendly bush, being a kit might not excuse her from an unsheathed claw swipe – she was a kit that stuck her nose where it didn't belong many times over, ever since she was just three moons old, separated from her mam. She was known for being a sneaky, unwelcome pest.

Yet it didn't bother her. There were too many new things to see, too many scents to follow, too many stories to track down. If being a pest meant seeing everything she could with little avail for other cats, so be it. However, with this is mind, she still didn't want her current adventure interrupted. She dropped her chest to the ground, her tail in the air, as she stalked the strange scent.

It was growing stronger by the mouse-tail. _So close already_! She regarded gleefully, listening carefully as she crept. She knew if the strange cats were just ahead, there wasn't a chance they could smell her. The salt-water waves caused the winds to blow back and forth through the beaches more often than to and fro the sea. Besides, the Dunes and dune scrubs would block a majority of the wind if it did decide to change – because while it usually stuck to course, there was no telling when the whipping wind would change.

The wind was loud, as well, and she had to strain her ears to listen for signs of the strange cats. She followed the trail-scent carefully, so carefully, as she crept near the top of the last dune before the beach scrub would take over the land, which was flat and much more difficult to hide in.

As she approached the top, she was quite certain she heard the muffled mew of a tom, his voice deep and dark and reminding her of the obscurity of the cliffs she almost wandered too close to last moon.

All she had been doing was following the silver trail of the moon, so close to the Bigfall, before a cliff cat chased her away, hissing furiously and swatting her into the water. She didn't mind getting pushed into the water, as she was a very good swimmer – her mam had taught her before passing away. What she did mind, however, was how rude the cliff cat had been. All she was doing was _looking_. She wasn't hunting their nasty frogs, though she was distracted by one and chased it a little too far into the Pines for their liking, apparently.

Back at her present adventuce, she hoped the tom would be keeping the other cats busy, their minds elsewhere, so she could figure out what they were doing at the Clifflands. They didn't smell of cats anywhere near here; they smelled of travel and fatigue. _What would bring faraway cats to the beaches_? She wondered. She took the risk of peeking over the sides of the Dunes.

And there were the cats! Four of them were large, sleek, jet-black cats, each with a strange white paw; then there was one that stuck out like a sore paw, with a mottled gray pelt and a chewed-looking tail. The kit quickly hid herself behind the Dunes again, thinking quickly on how she could approach them without their notice. She didn't trust the fatigue in their scent to completely blind them to her presence – simply going over the Dunes wouldn't be a way to go unnoticed.

Instead, she slid down the Dunes – carefully, on her own four paws, this time around – and darted farther down the Dunes, back toward her nest again. Running in the sand was difficult work, and took a lot of strength on her part, but she was well practiced and eventually made it down several fox-lengths with more energy to spare. She crept near the side of the Dunes, flattening herself to the sand, and crouched as she darted to the brush at the bottom of the Dunes near the five strange cats.

She knew from experience the hardest part of stalking was approaching a cat in the brush. While the sound of the waves did a good job at masking the noise, and the salty air did an even better job at masking a scent (so long the wind was blowing on the beaches instead of the Dunes), the dangers of accidently using a beach cat's bush nest next as a hiding bush were high. Most cats did not appreciate any cat using their home as an adventure stop.

She knew of a few bushes that definitely contained other cats, and avoided them carefully. She didn't want her adventure disrupted.

Her gray and white fur was not the most camouflaging among the sandy brown colors of the brush and the sand, but she was well practiced at darting between scrub brush while keeping low from her many adventures beforehand. She felt her fur start to tingle with excitement, and had to work hard not to give off a stronger scent just because she was unable to contain the anticipation. Taking a stilling breath, she darted from one bush to the other, her feet only kicking up a _little_ sand as an expense of her speed. She could hear their muffled mews again, and slowed down just a little as she approached another bush, and then the next.

"Mouse-brain!" she heard a raspy mew, and pictured the mottled gray she-cat reprimanding one of the cats. "You can't just wander the grounds and expect a welcoming party. No, we must be careful. These cats have been on their own for far too long, they won't welcome a cat to boss them around without challenge."

The little kit had to keep herself from mewing with excitement. She kept her position behind the bush carefully, not daring to relax her stalking crouch. Slowly, she dipped her head closer to the base of the rooted bush, able to see the cats almost clearly. The four black cats were surrounding the old gray one; two of them laying in the sand, comfortably in the shade of the Littlecliff they were tucked near; another with his back hunched, clearly displeased; the last sitting with a straight back, her tail twitching nervously.

"We know this, Rabbitfoot! StarClan has come to _us_ in _our_ dreams, as well." The old gray cat, presumably called _Rabbitfoot_ , flattened her ears to her head, obviously annoyed. The little kit had to strain her ears to hear her mutter something about "no respect for elders" before one of the white-footed she-cat's continued. "We're hoping that since they've been alone so long, that is exactly why they will welcome us."

"So you've planned it all out, have you?" Rabbitfoot mewed drily. "My purpose has been served, I can make my way back home?"

The she-cat shook her head, mewing anxiously, "Of _course_ that isn't what we meant. I just meant…"

"Well pull the fur from your ears, and listen to me well." Rabbitfoot laid herself down, tucking her forepaws beneath her and wrapping her bitten, patchy tail around herself. "Even if that isn't what you meant, my time here is short. There are a few things you need to know."

"Oh, don't speak like that, you old furball!" exclaimed the other tom that was lying in the sand, jumping to his paws and thrashing his tail. "You've many seasons left in you, and –"

"Would you pipe down?" Rabbitfoot hissed, thrashing her tail as well. Her fur bristled a slight bit, and the cats surrounding her remained silent as she licked her chest a bit and returned her tail to its position surrounding her. "Now, listen. You need to continue this path cautiously. I've risked my neck to bring you to this cursed, star-crossed place, and you won't go screwing it up by leaping in with your chests out proud and your chins held high."

The little kit strained her ears, leaning forward the slightest bit, dry leaves grazing the top of her head. What were these cats doing here? None of her questions had been answered. If anything, she had more than before she followed the cat's scent.

One thing she did know, though, was that hiding in this corner wouldn't protect them forever. It was past sun-high – cats would be coming out to hunt as soon as the sun began to drop.

"You need to find a cat – carefully, you need to find a cat carefully – that will be willing to tour this land with you. We're in an unfamiliar place, and the stories passed down in the Clan, as you very well know, only share so much. You need to learn as much as you can in the shortest time you can manage, because I doubt these cats will tolerate strangers wandering for too long. You will only hunt when it is offered, and you will give thanks – yes, you will give thanks, Dusktail –" she stared hardly at the cat on his hunches, who seemed more and more displeased by the moment. "gratefully, you will give thanks gratefully! StarClan have followed us, they have not abandoned us, and you will uphold the Warrior Code! That is your fate!"

The cat called Dusktail dipped his head, seemingly apologetic. She she-cat that spoke before mewed carefully, "Rabbitfoot, you speak as if StarClan has outlined this out to you themselves. If they have shared such dreams with you, why have they not with us? Why are we to –"

The little kit had pushed forward under the bush too far, excited by the stranger's even stranger words, and snapped a twig. It was small, but loud enough for the cats' ears to prick. The four black cats jumped up defensively, but Rabbitfoot hissed, "Sit down! Remember you have not been granted your nine lives yet!"

Even so, Rabbitfoot had alarm in her eyes as the four cats gazed at the bush, tails lashing, claws unsheathed.

The little kit had a decision to make. She made it quite easily, reflecting upon the many skirmishes she had been in. The amount of cats did not daunt her. These were strangers, and she had the advantage! She felt her paws pulsate with adrenaline as she slowly backing out of the bush, taking heed to not make any more noise, to avoid alerting them to her movements.

She had lost the element of surprise, but they would still be surprised by how young she was, how ready she was to attack…

Completely out of the underside of the bush, she could just barely see the cats on the other side of the bush. "Can you smell anything?" the other she-cat hissed. "Dusktail?"

"Not through the smell of salt," Dusktail spat in disgust, his voice dripping in discomfort. The little kit decided she would jump on him, as he was the closest, the most uncomfortable in his setting. She ducked into a hunting crouch, her back shaking as she readied for her attack.

"Wait," the first she-cat meowed, her voice colored with surprise. "I think I smell a –"

The little kit pounced as hard as she could, caterwauling as she leapt over the bush. Unfortunately, she misjudged the length of the bush, and she landed so that her backside grazed the edge of the bush, prickling her uncomfortably and taking her by surprise.

Yet she didn't hesitate, and she leapt again, releasing another yowl as she took in the shock coloring their eyes, their frozen posture.

She unsheathed her small claws, and launched at the cat named Dusktail, hissing her most ferocious hiss.

And he swatted her to the side easily, before she could even touch the ground, pushing her, for the second time since sun-high, into the Dunes, and a mouthful of sand.


	3. Chapter 3

"—a kit." The she-cat finished, a purr of laughter in her meow.

The little kit jumped up, shaking the sand from her pelt. She spat out even more sand, ignoring the grains still stuck to her tongue, and flew around to meet the eyes of five visibly relaxed cats. There was now a sense of amusement surrounding them.

She hissed at them in contempt, furious that they seemed to be mocking her. She was still a threat! She could still –

"Kit," the she-cat meowed, her eyes soft. "we mean no harm. We only –"

She pounced again, straight into Dusktail's paw… _again._ She bounced back, frustrated, her fur bristling and her ears low. She hissed as fiercely as she could, but even to her it sounded more like a squeak. She finally plumped down into the sand, sitting as high as she cold hold her chin, wrapping her tail around herself with as much dignity as she could muster. Her teeth scraped the remaining sand from her tongue.

Four of the five foreigners were holding back laughter. The remaining cat, Dusktail, incidentally the cat she chose to attack, just looked annoyed and uncomfortable. The little kit could tell the salty air and the sound of cresting, crashing waves were not soothing to him as they were to her.

"What is your name?" the same she-cat asked kindly as the kit licked her chest a few times with the little pride she had left.

But the little kit froze at her question. Her name? She bobbed her head down, as if looking for the answer in the sand.

"What are you called?" she prompted again. The other cats were silent, watching the kit with traces of great interest.

"We do not have names here," she mewed carefully, trying to recall what her mam told her about names, before she had passed away. "We have no use for them! We hunt alone, sleep alone, and fight alone. Names are silly when you have nobody to talk to."

The amusement dropped from their manner, quickly replaced by shock. She had the attention of all five cats now.

"No names?" Rabbitfoot rasped. "How can that be?"

"Exactly as I told you." The kit felt her body stiffening as she tried to maintain her elongated posture. She fought hard not to relax it, feeling her muscles quiver with effort. "And maybe it's a good thing, or I could be stuck with a silly name like Rabbitfoot!"

Silence followed the little kit's challenging words. She still had not forgiven the tom for defeating her so quickly. Obviously she had struck a cord, because moment after moment, the world around her seemed to get as silent as these cats.

Dusktail suddenly turned from her, facing Rabbitfoot with bristling fur. "This is the path StarClan has chosen for us? If a kit can't even maintain some sort of respect, what can we expect of her predecessors? Of cats with no names?" He turned once more, facing the other black tom, the one who had not spoken yet. "What say you, Midnightfoot? You and Dawnpelt have been very quiet, Twilightfur leading us forward…out of the ordinary." He added brazenly, his eyes flickering to the other she-cat.

Midnightfoot opened his mouth to speak, and then closed it again, as if he was rethinking his judgment of the situation. The black she-cat called Dawnpelt spoke instead, staring at the little kit with impossibly green eyes that almost outdid the she-kits' own intense green color.

"StarClan has chosen us for this task for a reason," Dawnpelt mewed, blinking her eyes as if accepting something she would otherwise be uncertain about without this "StarClan." "Perhaps the nameless cats are another sign of how desperately they need union."

Midnightfoot was still observing the kit with silent thoughts. It was Dawnpelt's eyes that made her look deep into Midnightfoot's own; his were a pool of darkness, the night sky coloring them itself, even in its absence.

Rabbitfoot mewed in agreement. "We made it here on the will of StarClan. You have a destiny to unfold, and it all begins here." She answered as if the matter was settled. The little kit was still completely uncertain of what exactly these words pertained to, but knew these cats were not here by accident. And great change would soon follow.

She felt an off sense of calm and clarity, the sun beginning to set, casting long shadows from the dune they were hidden behind. The kit now mewed hastily, sensing adventure in her path. "I can show you the Clifflands. I can –"

Duskpelt let out a huffing mrrow of laughter. "A kit," he guffawed. At her. "A kit is not the cat we seek."

"A disrespectful one at that," Rabbitfoot muttered under her breath.

"I can!" the little kit mewed indignantly. "I know where cat's hide, and where prey does, too. I know where you will be welcome and where you will not be. I can show you!"

The cats were silent as they processed her words. Twilightfur was searching her as well, her eyes ice-blue, like the water at the very bottom of a wave as it crested over. Suddenly, the little kit was very aware of the grass-green, ice-blue, night-dark and clay-brown eyes observing her.

"Are we really considering following a kit around uncharted land?" Duskpelt finally meowed impatiently, thrashing his tail, sending a small cloud of dust over Rabbitfoot. She coughed, loudly, swatting at his tail.

"Watch it, you great furball!" her coughing finally residing, finding her voice back. "My lungs are not use to this grainy sand! I don't fancy the idea of trekking through all these new terrains, either. This is your decision, and yours alone." She finished, her eyes sweeping the backs of the four cats with odd white paws. They didn't protest, but looked sad, as if they could foretell a sad omen.

The kit kneaded the ground impatiently, never-minding their sudden downcast stares. She sat wracking her brain for another reason why she should be allowed this great adventure. Slowly, a thought trickled in, making her quiver with excitement. She tried to level her voice before meowing, at solemnly as she could, "I could take you to the herb cat."

This peaked the interest of Midnightfoot. "The herb cat?" he meowed quickly, standing up on all four paws. His back paw was the white one, on the side closest to the cliff, pointing away from the ocean.

The little kit held back a purr of success. "Yes, the herb cat." She said mysteriously. "She can tell you everything that I can't! She knows all of the cats!"

The other three cats stood up at once, obviously now eager to attend to the little kit. "Is she far from here?" Twilightfur questioned. Her white paw was the front one, the one that faced the ocean. The little kit quickly noticed that Duskpelt's white foot was in the back as well, but facing the ocean, like Twilightfur's. Dawntail's white foot was in the front, facing the cliff.

It was very strange, the kit thought, that all four cats were almost exactly the same, but so different – and not just their white paws, or their luminous eyes. The sun was beginning to set now, the air cooling quite quickly. The sun wouldn't burn her raw paws now, or the strangers'.

"Not at all," the kit spoke quickly, wanting to leave before they changed their mind. "Do you see the path that leads up the cliff, down the beach?" she flicked her tail toward a grassy, bushy strip of land that led up the cliff many fox-lengths away, a crescent beginning in the sand and ending at the top of the cliff. "Her den is tucked into the cliff, on the inside of the Cliffpath. That way her herbs don't dry out in the sun. She is called "pearl."'

The cats peered in the direction her tail pointed, over their shoulders and over many brushy bushes. Duskpelt whipped to stare at the little kit hardly. "I thought you cats did not use names?"

The kit shook her head impatiently. "The herb cat is special. She takes care of us, and in return, we bring her silver and white pearls that wash up on the beach, or ones we can bust out of the oysters. She takes that name because she is the only cat that you need to know! Else you should die. She knows remedies for many of the bad things around here." The little kit shook, picturing the long, bracken-colored snakes that sometimes appeared in the Saltmarsh.

The cats looked at one another, as if searching for answers without asking the questions. Finally, Twilightfur nodded. She spoke carefully, assessing the little kit with her icy eyes. "Please take us to her, kit. We would very much appreciate your guidance."

The little kit had to refrain from rolling her eyes at the formality at which Twilightfur accepted the little kit's offer. The little kit understood they were probably trying to subdue her; she was use to being unwelcome. The little kit was one of the only cats brave enough – or stupid enough, some cats would say – to venture off of the beach and explore the prairie and oak scrubs above. She was the only one curious enough to venture close to the Bigfall, and play on the Steppingstones, before she was chased off.

The kit bounced to her paws, shaking her backside with excitement. Her whiskers quivered. "This way!" she beckoned them with her tail as she took a leap toward the herb cat's den. "Come on!" she added impatiently, seeing their hesitation at they glanced at Rabbitfoot.

"And you're sure you cannot make it?" Twilightfur asked wearily. The little kit sensed the unease among all four cats as they kneaded the sand, going from looking like dangerous strangers to lost kits.

The old cat, with great difficulty, it seemed to the little kit, rose onto her four paws. At first, she thought the old cat decided to come, and the little kit had to hide a groan. She wanted to go _now_. She was sure Rabbitfoot would move about as fast as a snail.

But she did not rise to follow. Instead, she touched her nose to each of the cat's foreheads, her eyes closed. "I'm sure." She rasped, stepping back to the warm pile of sand she had been laying in. "I enjoy the warmth of the shaded sand. And besides. You know all the stories, and have more than enough brains to pass them here, where you are needed. I was to lead you to this grand, new territory, and guide you to exploration. I am not meant to be a part of the exploration. My purpose has been served."

Dawntail approached the cat with a drooping head and tail, touching noses with her once more. The little kit wondered why they were making this goodbye such a big deal. The old cat wasn't encroaching on anyone's nest, nor was she close to the Snakeroot-tree's. She would be fine there; for a while, at least.

"May StarClan light your path," the old cat murmured, laying down and wrapping her tail around herself in a final sort of way. The little kit felt a twinge of sadness at the term. She didn't have any idea what the old cat was implying, of course, but it seemed a little too final. It rang through her heart with tiny pulsations, making the little kit glance in the cloudless sky, as if the answer was somewhere near the moon.

"And yours." Midnightfoot nodded his head. Even in all the darkness that seemed to surround the cat, his surly, thick-skinned demeanor, the little kit sensed an emotion she couldn't name in his goodbye. It made the kit feel that this was an ending of something rather important.

But as the four cats with strange white paws and burning eyes approached her, now ready to follow her on a path she had known so well, she felt a change. The path didn't seem so familiar now, though visibly nothing had changed. It seemed new, as unknown as the foreign cats she began to led through the sand brush.

"We need something to call you by, kit." Twilightfur commented, a hollowness in her voice as they lead away from Rabbitfoot. "You need a name."

The kit kept walking through the sand. She walked with ease, and since the four cats in her new companionship struggled with learning how to walk through it without spraying sand everywhere or slipping, their pace was matched despite short legs and small paws. She thought for a moment, thinking of her reflection in the pool near the Littlefall, and of the seaweed that washed on the shore overnight.

"Green." She mewed with confidence in her proclamation. "You may call me Green."

She watched Twilightfur nod, Dawntail dipping her head as well. "Greenkit." Twilightfur amended, and Greenkit did not contradict her. Greenkit. That she was.

Midnightfoot looked on, observing the scene unfolding before them with a practiced eye. Duskpelt walked on as well, withholding a hiss as his paws sank in the sand. They padded onwards in silence.

As they did, Greenkit sensed the biggest adventure her mind could imagine, bigger than the beach, bigger than the entirety of the Clifflands. She led the cats into a new beginning, with her new name, and with sand her mouth.

And so it began.


	4. Chapter 4

Greenkit jumped over the Dunes, beckoning the strangers to follow her with her tail. She leapt to the top of a sandy hill with practiced ease. She still slipped sometimes, usually when she was overexcited, but this leap was perfect: landing at the top, not too far down the dune on either side to loose her balance.

Twilightfur followed without hesitation. She was a large enough cat to clear the jump in a single bound after taking a few steps forward at the bottom of the slope. She dug her paws into the top of the dune near Greenkit; stiff, but successful. She and Greenkit glanced back at the other three strangers, who were definitely hesitating.

"Is going over this really necessary?" Duskpelt grumbled, his fur bristling. He very clearly did not enjoy the sand.

"Yep!" Greenkit called back, trying to hide the pleasure in her meow. She quickly decided she very much loved having the upperhand, and watching the cat that so easily swatted her away struggle with something as simple as the Dunes. "It'll be a steeper climb over the dune closest to the Cliffpath!"

What Greenkit told him was true, but secretely, she just wanted to show the strangers how helpful she could be on their journey. She didn't want Pearl's daughter to take over Greenkit's guidance position just because she was _older_. Greenkit could show them a lot!

Dawntail prepared to leap next. She took more of a running jump, giving herself more momentum as she leapt off the sandy bottom, flying high before landing a little off kilter, down the dune on the ocean side. She stopped herself from sliding, however, by digging her paws into the ground to mirror Twilightfur and Greenkit.

"We lived at a lake prior to coming here," Twilightfur explained as Dawntail took a few distrustful steps up the dune, her body tense as she fought the downward slide. "There was more sand in my territory, in RiverClan. WindClan saw some sand as well, but not as much. Midnightfoot and Dustpelt, however, have not dealt with sand in such a way."

Dawntail's whiskers twitched with amusement as they observed the two toms, still at the bottom of the dune. "They look like kits!"

Duskpelt snarled from the bottom. His ears dropped with concentration as his eyes measured the dune. He dropped to a hunter's crouch, and leapt.

Greenkit could not help but purr with amusement as the grumpy tom landed a fox-length away from the top, tumbling down before landing on his paws, whipping around and hissing at the dune as if an enemy.

Twilightfur purred with laughter as well, but Dawntail's whiskers just continued to twitch.

Midnightfoot had a much more interesting approach. For some reason, the daunting, silent cat made Greenkit feel a mixture of safety and uncertainty. She hoped he would make it, and was surprised as she watched him use the small bushes along the dune side to climb to the top. Greenkit was still too small to use the plants as a sort of climbing stepping-stone; she got caught in the brush and it ultimately made the whole ordeal more difficult.

As Midnightfoot made it to the top, Greenkit's amusement resumed as the serious black cat spat sand from his mouth. "I'd hate to be the cat in this cursed land. The sand is something of a pain." His words seemed harsh, but his tone was colored with a note of playfulness.

"I rather enjoy it," Twilightfur commented, facing the ocean so that the breeze ruffled her inky black fur. Greenkit did the same, the sensation never failing to appease her. She wondered if Twilightfur did as well, if she minded the salt in the wind that would dry out her fur, but felt so good on her tongue as she washed herself off.

"This place is far from home," Dawntail added, embracing the wind as well as Midnightfoot ducked his head away from it.

Twilightfur nodded, but said nothing. Greenkit saw something of a glow in her ice-blue eyes, though. Greenkit suddenly decided that Twilightfur definitely didn't mind it.

They turned back as a yowl sounded from the other side of the dune, toward the brush. Duskpelt was still struggling to get up the sand, finally settling for scrambling up with small steps and unsheathed claws. It was a funny sight to see, and Greenkit knew this would not be the time to share that unsheathed claws did nothing in deep sand.

As he made it to the top, he shook himself, clouds of sand falling over the cats.

Midnightfoot's whiskers twitched as Dawntail hid her laughter with a cough. "Rather unpleasant, is it?" he affirmed, his voice and stance as resolute as ever. But Greenkit sensed the teasing tone.

Duskpelt spat out a clump of sand. "If all of the land is this abominable, I'm starting on my way back to the lake at dawn!"

"Oh, hush," Dawntail mewed, batting him over the ear with a sheathed paw. "We've only just started!"

She then looked at Greenkit expectantly, eyes turning to her. Twilightfur was still absorbing the golden rays of sun that followed the soft breeze of the ocean, but Greenkit jumped up, ready to go. "Right!" she squeaked, suddenly hating her kit voice. "Over the Dunes, and down the beach!"

Twilightfur nodded thoughtfully. "Over the Dunes."

Greenkit thought it was silly she was repeating what she just mewed; quite clearly, as a matter of fact. Then she realized that these cats didn't have dunes at home. Twilightfur was trying to remember the word!

Greenkit quivered with excitement, sliding down the dune-side easily, bounding over to the shore, where the tides were slowly climbing.

Her four companions had a much easier getting down than they had getting up, sliding as Greenkit had done, but Dustpelt had a rough time again, tumbling once more and cursing loudly as he reached the bottom.

Greenkit barely waited for him to catch up to them. She stood where the waves could just barely lap her tiny feet. The other cats stayed behind, Midnightfoot especially. He suddenly seemed to find the Dunes very interesting, backing up a little ways to remain close to them, and far from the lapping water.

Greenkit mewed animatedly, squeezing in as much information as she could in her tiny breaths. "The moon controls the tide," she explained. "At night, the tide – the waves of water, I mean – they reach quite close to the Dunes. And in the mornings, the tides fall back into the ocean. When the tides fall back, the shore of the beach is full of all sorts of goodies!"

Greenkit nodded herself along, looking into the sea and almost forgetting – almost – that she had companions. "You must be very careful in the water, though. Sometimes there are riptides that will sweep you straight away. If you get trapped in a riptide, there is no help for you."

Greenkit thought briefly of her mam, her poor mam. It had almost been time for Greenkit to leave the nest, and her mam was teaching her how to hunt the Coralreef. It was suppose to be free of riptides.

It wasn't.

She tried to shake the memory from her head as they trotted down the shore. "It's much easier to run in the wet sand!" she mewed over her shoulder, seeing them struggle in the depth of the sands. "Just leap over the waves if you don't like the wet!"

Twilightfur was the only one to join her, however, bounding far ahead after a moment of keeping pace with Greenkit. Greenkit watched as the she-cat bounded down the shore, the waves licking her paws. She heard her let out a yowl of excitement, looking like a young cat exploring the beauty of the beaches for the first time. Greenkit realized that she was, really, enjoying it for the first time. She yowled back to Twilightfur, trying to catch up with the she-cat but not being able to match up to her large, muscled legs.

They continued down the beach and Twilightfur eventually slowed down, Greenkit and the others catching up with her. Twilightfur sounded a bit winded as she huffed, "The waves. They're rather exciting, aren't they?"

Greenkit wasn't sure if this was directed towards her or spoken more so to herself, but Greenkit agreed with a purr as they slowed down their pace a bit. They were approaching the Cliffpath now, but Greenkit followed the cats, beckoning them with her tail. To her pleasure, they followed.

The beach started to raise here, sand becoming less deep as the incline grew and the water fell farther behind them, step-by-step. The sun was still shining brightly, the waves further from the beach lapping over each other in twists of blues and foaming white. Despite the sun, the moon still shone, ready for the firey orb to set.

At the top of the sandy crest, Greenkit sat. "The cresting waves will leave foamy patches on the beach. But don't touch it," she warned. "It's very sticky and not pleasant to lick off. A dip in the water will clear it right off, but when the waves are very high, it can be difficult to keep your footing."

Next, she used her tail to point the waters beyond the crescent. There was another beach, much smaller, and completely enclosed by the cliff. "The only way to get to that beach is to swim," she motioned her tail downward. "That's where the Coralreef is. There are many brightly colored fish that crowd it, and it's very pretty, especially at sun-high when the water is clearest. There usually aren't riptides, but the ones that are are the most powerful." She said solemnly, thinking of her mam again.

They sat in silence, the cats watching the waves wrestle and the sun reflect in impossible swirls of color. It was Greenkit's favorite spot. Sometimes, she secretly still believed her mam had survived the riptide, and would return here for her.

"Very pretty and all," Duskpelt eventually growled. "But isn't there somewhere we are suppose to be, kit?"

Greenkit resisted the urge to sneer and snarl back at Duskpelt. _Such a rotten cat_ , she thought to herself, before wordlessly turning back down the beach crescent toward the Cliffpath.

They reached the bottom quickly as Greenkit led them back toward the Cliffpath, passing it and slinking through a small space between the Cliffpath bottom and a very high sand dune. It ended in a sizeable hollow, the ground sandy enough to make it soft, but not deep enough to cause any missed paw steps.

The hollow was reasonably well protected by the elements – the dune protected it from the wind, and the high cliff above reached out to protect a majority of it from the rain. But there was enough open space to fill the hollow with sunlight, warming the ground. It was clear of bushes and bracken, and there were many small indents in the cliff bottom, a collection of smaller hollows that were lined with moss and fern.

"It looks as if cats live here," Dawntail mewed, surprised. "I thought your cats did not live with one another?"

Greenkit nodded, affirming her words. "Pearl lets sick or hurt cats to rest here so she can keep an eye on them. Her daughter keeps comfortable nests. She even adds flowers, sometimes." She added. "When kit's mam's die, they are allowed to stay here until they are old enough to leave. In return, they help collect herbs and tend to sick cats."

Midnightfoot nodded thoughtfully, appraising her words. Greenkit wondered what he was thinking, but didn't ask. Duskpelt was just a mean, grumpy old mink. Midnightfoot was very myserious, though. And Greenkit, if anything, loved mysteries. "Would you like to meet Pearl?" she asked as the cats clustered in the middle of the clearing.

Without waiting for an answer, Greenkit slowly approached the edge of a deep cavern, right in the back of the hollow, on the bottom of the Cliffpath. "Pearl?" she mewed at the entrance. "Pearl, are you here?"

She knew it was a silly question to ask – Pearl was _always_ here. She rarely ever left the cave, only to attend to cats in the hollow. Otherwise, the cave was, in simple terms, her home.

But Greenkit didn't hear the gentle mew of the old cat. She mewed once more, "Pearl?"

Finally, a voice mewed back. Greenkit saw the bright green eyes that belonged to Pearl reach the entrance before she saw the old silver cat's salt-dulled pelt.

"Ah," the she-cat mewed with a raspy tongue. Greenkit could practically feel the age drip off of her, and wondered how long she had been there, in the Clifflands.

Greenkit watched as Pearl met the bright eyes of each of the four cats, who were fanned out a fox-length from the entrance. She practically ignored Greenkit, much to her discontent.

There were several moments of silence as the she-cat padded out of her den, sniffing the cats with interest. Greenkit wondered why everyone was so quiet, but had enough sense not to chirp in, despite her burning curiosity.

Pearl voiced herself at last, sitting in front of the four cats, much like Rabbitfoot had. Greenkit had a strong sense of deja-vu, the old silver cat looking very similar to the mottled silver version of Rabbitfoot. Greenkit shook her head to clear it as Pearl mewed, "You definitely took your time. I've been waiting for you."

the Dunes: Small sand dunes sometimes found near Florida Key's beach's.

the Bigfall: The waterfall that comes from the highest point of the Clifflands, far above and away from the beaches, and pours into the largest area of the Clifflands (above the beaches)

Snakeroot-trees: Mangrove forest. If you've never heard of mangroves, please google them, they are quite interesting; the trees cluster together and their roots are above ground. There are mangrove trees near estuaries and beaches. They are in sections and weave with the tides, so there are dryer, wetter, and completely submerged clusters of mangroves.


	5. Chapter 5

Greenkit was confused. And by the shocked look on her companion's faces, they were bewildered as well.

Midnightfoot was the first to regain composure. "Has StarClan spoken to you?" he asked simply. Greenkit stifled a groan. This StarClan character kept popping up, and she didn't enjoy being out of the loop.

Pearl let out a purr, very raspy, like her voice. "Not StarClan, no. You'll have heard of the Tribe of Endless Hunting?"

Greenkit let out an audible groan now. She couldn't keep up with all these strange terms. But she then realized; the four cats she brought to Pearl must be as confused as she was, being in a new place, with new cats. She caught her mind wandering while the cats conversed, now wondering more about where they came from, who named them, why they all smelled so specifically different.

Because even though they were clearly cats of a different place, they were also clearly siblings – but each cat had a specific kind of foreign scent. Scents of the path they had taken masked most of the odor, but not all of it. Had they been apart for a long while? Had this journey brought them back together? She caught a question in her mind, snatching it out of water like a fish, and opened her mouth to ask.

Greenkit snapped her mouth shut as quickly as she had opened it. She kept quiet, realizing she had missed a good chunk of information while the cats spoke. She silently cursed herself, wondering if she had missed answers to the many questions tumbling around her mind again, like loose bracken on the beach.

"And you shall take us?" Twilightfur asked the old cat. She phrased it as a question, but the tense stance of Duskpelt made Greenkit think it was more of a statement.

Pearl let out a mrrow of musky laughter. "Not me, no. I shall not leave the hollow. My daughter, Water; she will take you."

"She didn't have a name last time I saw her," Greenkit blurted, frustration taking hold as she realized the adventure was slowly crawling away from her. She didn't want to go back to her nest yet. She had too many questions, too many things she wanted to show them. Plus, her bush was prickly after a hot day, drying in the sun.

"Things change, young kit." Pearl answered gently in her raspy tone. "As we shall soon see."

She called back into the den for Water over her shoulder, and a gray she-cat with intricate looping silver markings bounced to her place beside her mam. She was much older than Greenkit, about as big as the strangers, but was still very young. She had been around, checking on cats and collecting herbs, since before Greenkit was born. Greenkit liked her okay, but she was a bit perky, in her opinion.

"Water," Pearl mewed clearly to her daughter. "Will you please show these cats around the Clifflands? Be sure to find some more sea lavender before you bring them back. We're running low."

"Yes, mam." Water dipped her head respectfully, mewing softly in a high-pitched voice. Greenkit couldn't help but to look away uncomfortably. Water was well past the age of a cat leaving the nest. Cats, as a general rule, did not associate with others very much after leaving the nest, family or otherwise. Seeing two cats so fearlessly showing affection and respect to one another was awkward for Greenkit to witness.

"Now, you best be going before the sun sets. You won't very much appreciate finding yourself in the Clifflands after dark. You may return here to nest for the night after viewing the land." Pearl granted the four strangers a small nod before turning back to her den, her long tail trailing the top edge of the den gently.

The six cats had obviously been dismissed. "Right." Water mewed, immediately darting over to the squeeze space entrance in between the Dunes and the cliff. She turned to face them, ready to dart through. "You heard mam! We need to make time!"

Watching the four cats follow her, Greenkit did a quick assessment of the invitation in her head. Was she welcome, or was she being dismissed as well?

She had her answer at Twilightfur's yowl. "Greenkit! Let's go!"

She wriggled her backside excitedly before charging through the groove, following them. As she wiggled her way through, she heard Duskpelt's distinct growl. "Would it not be better to travel in a smaller group in a land of potentially hostile cats?"

"Perhaps," Greenkit was surprised to hear Midnightfoot answer. "But she is much too small to be a threat."

Dawntail added with a mew, "Maybe having such a kit travelling with us will work to our advantage. Make us appear the less hostile ones."

Dawntail didn't speak very often, but Greenkit quickly made up her mind to like the cat. Even Midnightfoot, while quiet in a more intimidating way, she could like. And Twilightfur had been accepting of her since the very beginning. Duskpelt, she did not like. At all.

She shook her head, clearing her thoughts of the bad-tempered tom, and trotted quickly to meet the fast pace of her companions. The sun was still shining golden on the land, but now had some traces of sunset, colors of orange and red joining the yellow streams of sun, painting the ocean a beautiful color.

They crested the Cliffpath quickly, following the crescent of land that led up to the path above the beach, dunes and scrub with a few leaps and bounds. The terrain was no longer sandy, but the dry, cracked ground of the prairie. At the top, the cats slowed, observing the vastness of the Clifflands.

"Most of the land is dry here, except during the wet season." Water explained. "But most of the ground still remains dry. Only the areas near the Bigstream and the Brokencreeks flood."

She flicked her tail toward the distant stream, coming from the Bigfalls. It meandered through the land slowly, until it reached the Littlefalls and led over the small cliff before pouring into the Saltmarshes and Snakeroot-trees, and finally, the ocean. The freshwater and saltwater met in a quiet pond-like area, turning quickly into the Saltmarsh. Greenkit knew this, of course, but Water had to explain it.

While she did, Greenkit couldn't resist but piping in. "The Saltmarsh has plenty of prey! Rabbits, mice, sparrows and wrens, and all the fish you could ask for. Rather salty, though." She wrinkled her nose. She did like the fish, really; but she did like to balance it out with the rodents that nosed through the dryer parts.

"Plenty of healing herbs come from the Saltmarsh as well," Water nodded, validating Greenkit's mews. "But herbs can be found most everywhere in the Clifflands, even in the dry land. As long as you know where to look, of course. Same with prey."

Next, she tipped her tail to the far corner to the right of the Clifflands. "There is an Oakscrub forest that resides yonder," she explained, then tipped her tail to the opposite. "And over there, a Pinescrub. Both are bodacious with prey."

Greenkit couldn't resist butting in again. "Cats in the Pinescrub are not welcoming, though." She warned, nodding her small gray head. "Plus, there are huge snakes!"

Again, Water nodded. Greenkit felt a little trickle of pride, being included in such an important mission. "There are snakes over most of the land, but they do really seem to like the Pinescrub, and the Saltmarsh. You should also be warned of the predator birds – some get so large, they can scoop an old kit clear from the ground. There are minks that primarily trail the coastline, but are known to walk the dry lands during the wet season. They are dangerous to any cat; I expect that perhaps in a ground they could be driver off, but not many cats are open to help in these places."

Water looked troubled for a moment, her ears flattening to her head as she gazed to the distance. Greenkit took the uncomfortable lapse of conversation to ask something that had been on her mind since she had met the strange cats. "But you're here to help, right?"

Midnightfoot had the same thoughtful look he always tended to have, and Twilightfur's ears twitched. It was Dawntail who answered her, to Greenkit's surprise. "Well, we are certainly going to try."

This seemed to calm Water, and she visibly relaxed. "Would you like to see the Steppingstone-place?"

The pretty she-cat waited for an affirmation before following the edge of the cliff, darting around scrub brushes and scattered boulders. Greenkit walked on the very edge of the cliff, balancing precariously with her tail straight in the air. It was a game she played with herself, sometimes; she was training herself to be a fierce cat, one that others would never dare chase away from their nests if she wandered to close, or to be forced out of the Pinescrubs. She wanted to follow where her paws naturally tended to bring her: to the Bigfalls.

Thinking of this, she was very surprised when teeth in the scruff of her neck broke her concentration. She hissed instinctively, squirming as she was literally dragged away from the cliffside. She twisted furiously until the responsible cat released her, jumping up from the ground and hissing once more.

"Mouse-brain!" Twilightfur hissed herself. "What in your pebble-sized brain would drive you to do…that?"

Greenkit lifted herself up from her natural defensive crouch, licking her chest furiously for a few moments. She refused to let herself feel embarrassment. "I'm brave." She decided to mew in her defense.

"Brave," Duskpelt spat. Even Water looked alarmed. "Were we not just lectured on predators? What if one of those minks came at you from the side? It's jump or be eaten!"

Greenkit's shoulders fell a bit. Technically, she supposed, they were right. Minks were terrifying. She had never faced one before, but if all it took was a pawswipe to stop her from reaching Duskpelt when she tried to attack him, she was sure the mink would make a meal out of her. "Sorry," she muttered, bowing her head. "I won't do it again."

Duskpelt was marching ahead, muttering to himself, his fur bristling. He didn't even like her, Greenkit scoffed. Why should he care? The other cats looked satisfied with her apology, and they moved on to catch up with Duskpelt.

They approached the end of the stream as the colors of the sky darkened. They paused at the edge – though not as close as Greenkit's initial reaction would be. She wasn't afraid of the water.

The meandering river poured down the edge of the cliff, resulting in the Littlefalls. Greenkit knew if you stood close enough, the spray of the fresh water would wet your fur with cool droplets. It felt especially nice around this time of day, or night, whichever you preferred; just before all of the heat of the hot sun escaped. But Greenkit didn't dare step forward to stick her face in the cool spray. She didn't want Duskpelt chewing her out…again.

"We'll follow the stream now," Water announced, beckoning with her tail toward the later twists and turns of the river. "It would have been a quicker route to the Steppingstone-place had we cut across the prairie, but not all cats are friendly. It will take some time and explanation until the cats of the Clifflands come around."

Midnightfoot nodded to her, his eyes as silently thoughtful as ever, and Water licked her paw bashfully, wiping down the fur atop of her head. "That's what my mam says, at least."

"And they won't bother us if we follow the stream?" Duskpelt asked, looking doubtfully out to the prairie.

"Tromping across the land uninvited would bring unwelcome guests," Water explained, sitting down to face the cats. "We're less likely to bother them walking along the stream. Of course, most won't be hostile once they realize you're with me."

Water glanced at Midnightfoot, who was listening attentively, and Water ducked her head once more, seeming embarrassed. "My mam heals a lot of the cats around here, and I help. The cats she helps – most cats, I expect – know me, and would listen to what you have to say."

It was silent for a moment as the four strangers processed her words, examining the land around them with curious eyes. They seemed to be analyzing it, processing the prairie as much as her words. Finally, Midnightfoot bowed his head to Water. "Lead the way."

 **I've only just noticed that somehow, I replaced the prologue with Chapter 1. It's been fixed. Author's apologies!**

 **I'm still trying to figure out how to add pictures to the chapters so that you will have a general idea of how the land is laid out. In the mean time, if you have any questions about the landscape, feel free to PM me, and I'll get back to you ASAP, or you can ask it in the reviews anonymously, and I'll respond at the bottom of the next chapter.**

 **Best wishes, may StarClan light your path!**


	6. Chapter 6

When the cats finally approached the Steppingstone-place, the sun's tendrils were almost completely covered by the darkness of the night. It was quite cold now, and for the first time since the excitement began, Greenkit noticed the raw hunger digging into her stomach.

But a mixture of facts caused her to reject making this announcement; the first being, she was away from the beach, her normal hunting grounds. She knew only too well that cats were not fond of anyone from other areas of the Clifflands hunting their grounds.

Her second issue with making her hunger clear, though, was the fact that she didn't want to seem weak or needy to the strange cats. If she proclaimed her hunger, they may request she break away from the group and go back to the beach to hunt. And she was _not_ having that.

So, she ignored her hunger, and instead focused on her excitement approaching the Steppingstone-place. Greenkit loved coming here: it was close to the Bigfalls, and had an odd assortment of fish she rather enjoyed hunting. Cats were unlikely to bother you at the Steppingstone-place. For some reason, there was a sort of unspoken agreement to share this place.

Greenkit figured this was because of the strong sense of comraderie she felt at the Steppingstone-place. Grenkit knew she was particularly sensitive to feelings of premonition, more so than other cats. But they were strong around the Bigfalls.

The Steppingstone-place, which seemed to almost lead to the Bigfalls, was a cluster of smooth rocks just beyond the spray of the falls, with a large island-like boulder in the center of the small lake.

Truly, it was beautiful. Greenkit wondered if the clairvoyance that she felt so strongly at the Steppingstone-place was also the reason cats tended to avoid the stones. She rarely saw other cats there when she made the adventure to visit. But when Greenkit did, the cats were neautral to her "trespassing," if not almost friendly.

But she was still always chased when she ventured to close to the bottom of the Bigfalls. Something about the waterfall called to her, but it seemed every time she ventured too far from the Steppingstone-place, she was ambushed.

"This is the Steppingstone-place," Water announced with a flick of her tail, breaking Greenkit's thoughts. "The smaller stones are dispersed randomly, but all eventually lead to the flat rock in the center of the lake." She flicked her tail again. "And that is the Bigfalls."

She watched her companions raise their heads, trying to spot the top of the Bigfalls. They looked awestruck, even Duskpelt's mouth opening slightly. Greenkit purred quietly, remembering her first time seeing the Bigfalls. It was an intimidating sight, at the very least. The water came crashing down the side of the cliffs, colors of blue and white cascading down the gray and silver rock until it poured into the lake.

"All of this water is fresh," Water continued, looking up to the Bigfalls with foreign cats. "And it all follows, as you saw, to the Littlefalls. That pours into the Saltmarsh, next to the Snakeroot-trees; but we will have to visit them tomorrow morning. It's dangerous to explore during the night. There are too many nooks and crannies for a cat to fall into and get hurt."

Greenkit wasn't even sure that the cats had heard Water, as they were still pondering the sheer massiveness of the Bigfalls. But then Midnightfoot acknowledged her with a mew. "And what is behind the falls?"

Instinctively, Greenkit crouched into a pounce position and wriggled her backside in excitement, feeling a frenzy of emotions tingle throughout her body, starting at the tip of her gray-and-white striped tail and moving to the tips of her gray ears. Finally! Behind the falls!

But there was a hint of uncertain fear glinting in Water's gray eyes. "My mam has always warned me away from the back of the falls, without explaining why. But she instructed me to lead you here, a long time ago, while we were waiting for you."

"Has your mother travelled here before?" Twilightfur asked curiously, cocking her head as she looked at the cascading whites of the cresting falls.

"Once," Water answered plainly, no hint of emotion as she eyed the falls. Greenkit could smell a hint of her fear-scent. "A long time ago, before I was born. My mam doesn't leave the hollow."

"Ever?" Duskpelt asked with the hint of his characteristic growl and impatience.

"Not since she returned from the falls," Water admitted, scraping at the dry ground with unsheathed claws. She was visibly very nervous. "But even before her trip there, she didn't venture out of the hollow much. Not since she trained cats that visited her the most to fetch certain herbs around the Clifflands for her. She doesn't like being out in the open."

Duskpelt glared at Twilightfur, Midnightfoot and Dawntail, as if confirming suspicions he had not voiced. But they pointedly ignored him, and instead of answering his look, Twilightfur and Midnightfoot began padding to the edge of the Bigfall. Water followed, somewhat reluctantly, with Dawntail by her side. Duskpelt huffed and followed, his fur bristling.

Greenkit bounded behind the group, trying to keep up but also to fall behind, so that if they did not want her to be a part of the adventure behind the falls, they might forget she was even there while they were so distracted by the immensity and monstrosity that the falls really were.

Approaching the edge was very, very loud. The cats couldn't hear one another even if they yowled. Instead, Midnightfoot and Twilightfur lead the group to the very, very edge of the land next to the Bigfalls with a flick of their tails. There was a small, dark opening between the waterfall and the brink of the muddy ground. They disappeared through it, Dawntail following close behind, and Duskpelt and Water trailing behind.

Greenkit carefully slid in behind them. They were now literally behind the waterfall, a small spray of fresh water coating their pelts. It was very dark, especially so due to the setting sun. Greenkit thought that perhaps, at sun-high, there might be a little bit more visibility. But no cat suggested turning around and coming back during the light of day. Instead, she heard them silently pad into a deep cavern that the falls hidden.

Greenkit was hideously excited, certain that if the cats were paying enough attention, they would be able to smell. Luckily, this was as much of an adventure to them as it was to her, and Water's growing fear-scent masked much of Greenkit's anticipation.

The cavern had a musky smell, not necessarily unpleasant, but not appeasing, either. The stone beneath Greenkit's paws was damp and smooth, and gave the air the pungent taste that became stronger and stronger the deeper the group of cats ventured into the cavern.

It took only some fox-lengths before the inky darkness enveloped them completely. Following Water's fear-scent was the only guidance Greenkit had – while her vision was quite good, in her own opinion of course, and especially in the dark – the lack of life and vitality in the cavern suppressed her perception.

They were still silent, venturing deeper and deeper, until a new smell teased Greenkit's nostrils. It was an extremely unpleasant smell. Alive, but in a dark fashion. When no other cat mentioned anything, Greenkit yearned to ask, but buried the question on the tip of her tongue for later use, afraid of breaking the silence and her camoflauge.

They padded on, and Greenkit knew they were deep into the cliff now. There hadn't been many winds or curves, it seemed, making it essentially a straight shot to whatever their destination may be. Greenkit felt a little let down. This dank, musky place was not what she had hoped or imagined it would be. It was missing something; Greenkit could feel it in the tips of her claws. There was something they were missing here…

And it was at the tail end of this thought that a glowing something appeared some fox-lengths ahead of them. Greenkit's ears pricked, and she tried, unsuccessfully, to focus her eyes on the mysterious glow. They were still too far away, Greenkit decided, to make anything of it. It must have been as blurry to the other cats as they were to her.

But Greenkit knew they noticed as well, because suddenly, their pace subliminally quickened, and Greenkit could now smell the burning curious excitement of her companions. They trotted across the damp cavern floor, which was now sloping up slightly, to a sort of top, where the source of the glow appeared.

When they reached the top of the cavern, the cats froze and gasped, including Greenkit. There were glowing specks of something floating throughout the air, flashing on and off like a brilliant yellow shadow. The lights – whatever they were – had a bluish tinge to them, and appeared to be flying. It was then that her ears focused and she heard the furious beating of tiny, tiny insect wings.

"What are they?" Greenkit dared to ask, now unafraid that they would turn her back.

The cats glanced at her, surprised by her presence and her break of the silence, as she asked the question on each cat's mind.

Water was gazing in wonder at the glowing bugs. "My mam never told me what we would find," she mewed softly, dazzled by the spectacular view of clusters and clusters of the bugs the dimly lit the cave. The cavern ended here, the very end, revealing a very small hole in the top of the cavern, one that even Greenkit, being as small as she was, would struggle to squeeze through. There was no light shining through the cavern hole, but the insects seemed to be lazily floating in and out of it. There were hundreds, Greenkit decided. Hundreds and hundreds of the glowbugs.

Very carefully, Midnightfoot stepped forward toward the clusters of the bugs. He lay down, resting his head on his paws. Greenkit thought he looked like he was settling for a nap, and she suddenly had the overwhelming feeling to join.

Before she could, she watched one of the glowbugs gently float downward, resting itself on Midnightfoot's nose, continuing to glow softly. But instead of flickering, like all of the other bugs, it maintained its light, sitting on Midnightfoot's nose. Greenkit knew he was asleep and that it was important she took a rest, as well. She couldn't explain the draw, but she knew she needed to follow her instinct.

Apparently, all of the other cats carried the same idea, because they were too padding forward and lying down to rests their chins on their paws. One by one, Greenkit watched as one bug after another landed on each of their noses, maintaining their glow and carrying them into a restful slumber. Greenkit could tell it was restful, because all of her companions were now breathing heavily and steadily as the glowbugs softly lit up their closed eyes.

Greenkit settled in between Twilightfur and Dawntail and too, lay down to rest her chin on her front paws. She closed her eyes, feeling restless even though she truly was exhausted following all of the adventure today. She wasn't sure she'd actually be able to rest while the vivid excitement still pulsed in her body.

And then, she felt an itchy, tickling something land on her nose. She wanted to swat at it, but was instead thrown into a deep, dark slumber, the soft pelts of her companions besides her, a glowbug on her nose.

And then, all of the sudden, she wasn't asleep anymore. At least, she didn't _think_ she was asleep. She was standing in the center of the Steppingstone-place, swatches of stars painting the dark blue sky. It wasn't nearly as cold as the Clifflands got at night; instead, there was a pleasant breeze that cooled her fur, but felt rather warm, as if she had been sunbathing on the beach shore before coming to the Steppingstone-place.

The second thing Greenkit noted was that she was alone. Very alone. She listened for the pitter-patter of prey scuttling through the prairie land, or the fish jumping in the water, even the rush of the Biggfalls. But all was quite silent.

Greenkit was suddenly consumed in the lonesomeness that encased her on the Steppingstone-place. She was all too aware of the fact that she was irrevocably companionless and deserted. It was a terrifying feeling to be trapped in, fear stinging her paws and natural aggression peaking out of the alienation. She suddenly did _not_ like being in the Steppingstone-place, so out in the open and vulnerable. She did not like it at all.

"Can you feel it, Greenkit?" a she-cat suddenly mewed from behind her. Greenkit whipped around, terrified, lowering herself into a crouch, her tail thrashing. "Can you feel the terrible heartache of solitude and seclusion?"

The voice belonged to brown tabby she-cat. She was pretty, even with a torn ear, and her fur looked very soft even though very sleek. Greenkit suddenly felt a sense of ease come over her as she stared into the tabby's gray eyes. "It's awful!" Greenkit gasped, shivering, the last traces of the terrible isolation escaping her. "What cat could ever live like that?"

"You do," the she-cat mewed gently, stepping forward. She was much bigger than Greenkit, but Greenkit felt neither scared nor intimidated by her presence. "You have lived in this fear every day of your young life, even when your mam was alive."

"You know my mam?" Greenkit's ears perked and her head rose, glancing around the tabby she-cat, looking for the white pelt of her mam. "Do you know where she is?"

"She is at peace," the tabby mewed simply, soothingly, effectively retrieving Greenkit's attention. "But watches you live in the same fear and isolation that she lived her own life in. You are destined for something better, Greenkit. Something great."

"Destined," Greenkit echoed, suddenly in awe of the stars she noticed brushing the cat's sleek tabby fur, and the moons in her eyes. "Who are you?"

"My name is Brook Where Little Fish Swim," she answered, touching her nose to the kit's soft hair on the top of her gray and white head. "And you are Greenkit. Greenkit, with an important duty."

"Duty." Greenkit repeated, her voice slacking. She was still amazed by the vivacious life swirling in the she-cat's fur.

"Yes, Greenkit," Brook Where Little Fish Swim mewed, her voice a bit stronger this time. "You are the first of the many to bring them together, and then apart. The Tribe of Rushing Water has broken, but lives on in the stars above. Only the Clans can bring peace to this land, bring peace to the cats. You must do your part."

Greenkit was so, so desperately confused. But the stars dancing in Brook Where Little Fish Swim's pelt were spectacular. She felt dazed. It was then when Brook Where Little Fish Swim cuffed Greenkit behind her ear.

"Hey!" Greenkit exclaimed, her concentration on the she-cat's fur broken as she jumped back. "What was that for?"

The beautiful tabby let out a mrrow of laughter, and began purring. "There is the cat I am looking for. Can you do it, Greenkit? Can you gather the cats of the land, help Waterpaw convince them to listen to the nighttime cats that will save the Clifflands?"

Greenkit was feeling the waves of exhaustion creep over her again. "Convince them to listen to the nighttime cats," she mewed sleepily, her head bobbing up and down. "Got it."

Brook Where Little Fish Swim purred, rubbing against Greenkit's little side. "You may be a small little thing, Greenkit. But it is you, the first of many, who shall begin to form the Cans that will save the cats of this land."

"Clans," Greenkit mewed softly, lying down to rest her chin on her paws. "Yep."

Greenkit felt another sensation as she closed her bright green eyes. She could suddenly sense cats lying on either side of her, snoring softly. She felt a sudden warmth of companionship and camaraderie wash over her. She felt a furious heat that told her she would die to protect these cats slumbering next to her. She felt she could take on the world, so long as she had cats by her side. And so she slept on.

And then, as suddenly as she had fallen asleep, Greenkit woke up.

 **If anyone knows how to upload a picture in a CHAPTER, so that I can upload the map of the Clifflands so that everything makes a lot more sense,** ** _PLEASE PM ME!_** **Google has been a pain in the backside and it's important that the map is uploaded! I'm sure it's confusing without one. Just know, I am trying! Thank you for the support and the reviews. Always encouraging to post chapters more quickly. Until next time...ciao!**


	7. Chapter 7

Midnightfoot was staring at her curiously as Greenkit blinked the sleep from her eyes. A glowbug was floating away from her, as if carried by a breeze that wasn't present, and joined the others in the waves of flashing bugs high above her.

Greenkit scrambled to her paws. The initial tiredness of waking up escaped her jumped up with a newfound energy she didn't have prior to travelling beyond the Bigfall.

Midnightfoot's attention was now drawn to Water – or Water _paw_ , as Brook Where Little Fish Swim had called her – who was waking up a few rabbit hops away from Greenkit. She was the last to awake – Greenkit saw Twilightfur, Dawntail and Duskpelt already on their paws.

Suddenly, her dream came rushing back to her in a swarm. These were the Nighttime cats that Brook Where Little Fish Swim was referring to! These were the cats to end the fierce loneliness the cats of the Cliffland suffered from!

And she was supposed to help, she remembered proudly, thinking of Brook Where Little Fish Swim's words. Greenkit felt an overwhelming feeling of peace and determination wash over her. She knew what she had to do.

Once Waterpaw had awoken, she flicked her wispy, silvery tail back down the cavern, away from the glowing lights. They followed her beckon quickly, silently, and exited the cavern much faster than they had entered it. Each cat leapt through the space between the Bigfall and the muddy ground single file, Greenkit following Dawntail, followed by Waterpaw.

Greenkit was surprised to see the moon, glowing brightly in the cloudless sky, bathing them in pearly white light. Had they really slept so long? The sun was still peeking over the horizon when they had entered. It was now completely and totally nighttime, almost moon-high. Greenkit gazed at the white orb in a newfound awe of the sky Brook Where Little Fish Swim had come from.

Waterpaw broke the silence. "So the stories my mam told me are true," she mewed quietly, as if to herself. She was surprised when Twilightfur questioned her.

"What stories?"

"Of the Tribe of Rushing Water," Waterpaw answered, her head bowed as she, too, processed the words coming from her mouth. "I love my mam, but she is getting old. When she shared these stories with me, I thought she was making them up, even though she insisted she was not."

Twilightfur nodded, and cocked her head to face Midnightfoot. "Crookedstar came to me." She mewed simply, as if everything was explained in those four short words.

"And Bluestar to me," Midnightfoot mewed. "It seems that StarClan has followed us here, as Rabbitfoot promised."

There was a mournful tone to his mew as the large black tom said Rabbitfoot's name. The cats were silent, staring up at the fall, purpose flooding their eyes as they did so. Greenkit asked a question that Brook Where Little Fish Swim had not answered, one she felt would explain much of what she did not understand. "Twilightfur," she turned to the cat expressly but slowly, picking the cat that seemed most invested in the little kit's presence. "What are the Clans? How will they bring peace to the cats of the Clifflands?"

Twilightfur stared at her searchingly, hardly. She wondered if the cat had silently disapproved of Greenkit's admittedly sneaky manner used to follow the cats to such an intense sharing of dreams.

She must have decided not to reprimand her or send her away, because Twilightfur mewed simply, "It is a story to be told in the morning sun, after we have hunted and rested. It has been a long day for us all, and I don't wish to miss important details. I feel that this is a question we shall be answering many times over, and I want to get it as right as I can the first time around."

With a small nod, all of the cats seemed to approve of her answer; even Dustpelt. Greenkit was surprised the grumpy cat had not a spiteful comment on her addition to the group, or her shared dream, with who she instinctively understood were her ancestors. They began the long track back to Pearl's hollow, the moonlight bathing their path.

Greenkit woke up in a comfortable nest of fern and moss, the cool sunlit morning of the dry season warming her pelt and whiskers. She yawned, stretching her legs and giving her tail a shake. She seemed to be alone in the hollow, but knew that Waterpaw and Pearl were just across the way.

She reflected on the previous nights' adventure. After they had returned, Greenkit had shown the Nighttime cats the best place to find rabbits and mice in the scrubs behind the dunes, but they had turned down the fresh-prey spots to go meet Rabbitfoot. Greenkit had caught a nice juicy rabbit after a few hunger-driven attempts.

She wasn't the best hunter, and knew her hunger and leftover buzzes of excitemement had enhanced her skills. But before biting into the rabbit, she dragged it back to the hollow with difficulty, since the rabbit was only slightly smaller than she. Greenkit shared it with Waterpaw and Pearl, even though the hunger cramps of her stomach told her that she could have finished the entire thing on her own, probably. But it felt nice to share, and wandered to a moss-and-fern-lined nest in the hollow, one usually reserved for sick cats under the care of Pearl. With a bursting belly and heavy eyes, despite the sleep she had gotten in the cavern behind the falls, Greenkit fell into a dreamless sleep as soon as she curled up.

Greenkit was wondering to Pearl's den that morning to see if Waterpaw wanted to hunt, when the Nighttime cats padded through the hollow entrance near the Cliffpath. Forgetting her hunger once more, she bounded up to them excitedly. "Hi!" she mewed, her enthusiasm showing easily.

Midnightfoot's whiskers twitched with amusement. "Good morning," he meowed back.

"How is Rabbitfoot?" Greenkit asked, trying to maintain some manners in asking about the old cat. Dawntail looked down dejectedly at the ground, her tail drooping.

"Rabbitfoot hunts with StarClan now," Twilightfur explained gently, her eyes full of mourning. "We buried her down the beach this morning."

Greenkit nodded, scraping at the ground with a paw. "Well," she mewed, trying to ease the tension. "I'm sure she'll hunt all the rabbit's feet she can manage now!"

She was surprised to hear Dawntail purr quietly, and Twilightfur bowed her head a bit, a sparkle in her eye. "That she will," she agreed. "Have you eaten? We have a long day ahead. Tonight is the full moon, and it's important we get started early."

Greenkit could hardly contain her excitement. "I ate enough last night," she promised, even though she knew she could eat more. "What is our mission? What are we to do?"

"We must fetch Waterpaw, first." Twilightfur answered, signaling with her tail to the herb cat's den. Greenkit noted that she also used Waterpaw's new name, and wondered if Brook Where Small Fish Swim had visited her in her dream, too. Greenkit felt a small twinge of jealousy. Selfishly, she was hoping to keep the pretty brown tabby to herself. "No sense in telling the same tale twice." Twilightfur explained. Greenkit shrugged off her jealousy and padded over to the entrance with a spring in her step.

She was mistaken in believing her adventure was over. Greenkit suddenly realized that the rest of her life very well might be an adventure. And she was ready for it.

Her thoughts were broken by Waterpaw and Pearl's exit from their den. Greenkit noticed the old silver tabby remained partially in the den, out of the sunlight. Waterpaw, however, came completely out of the den and sat before the Nighttime cats with a shining excitement in her eyes, the same that Greenkit found within herself. She was suddenly glad she wasn't the only cat feeling the swarm of emotions that buzzed throughout her small body.

"Waterpaw," Midnight foot began pointedly. "I was hoping you would accompany us – " his tail flickered to Dawntail and Duskpelt. "around the upper Cliffland once again. The cats may feel less threatened with a familiar cat among us, as you pointed out yesterday. Tonight is the full moon, and it is important we get as many cats to join us there, at moon-high, as possible."

Waterpaw ducked her head, away from Midnightfoot's stare. Greenkit could understand her bashfulness; Midnightfoot was an intimidating cat, his tone very fair but also straight to the point. He seemed like a cat that wasted no breath on things that could go unsaid. "I'd gladly help," Waterpaw answered, lifting her head slightly to join her gray eyes to Midnightfoot's deep reddish-brown. "As long as my mam doesn't need me for anything, of course." She added quickly glancing at the old cat.

"I can manage without you for a day," The old she-cat rasped with a gleam in her eyes. "Some-cat will bring me fresh-kill around sun-high, I'm certain. Just be safe."

Waterpaw nodded to accept her mam's blessing. Greenkit felt a small twinge of yearning for her own mam's approval. Not many cats around here were very close to their families; parents and kits, as well as siblings, separating when the kits turned about six moons old. But it was clear that Pearl and Waterpaw had a similar relationship as Greenkit and her mam did.

Greenkit missed her terribly.

But looking at the Nighttime cats before her, Greenkit felt the yearning replaced with a feeling she was unfamiliar with. It was a slightly less intense feeling than the one she experienced during her chat with Brook Where Small Fish Swim. It was the opposite of lonesome. It was friendship. Respect. Support. Companionship. She decided very quickly she enjoyed the warm, true feelings pulsing throughout her small body.

"And Greenkit and I shall be speaking with cats of the beach," Twilightfur added, much to Greenkit's exstatic delight. She felt as if she could bound up and around the Clifflands many times over, suddenly bouncing with even more energy. "It will be much less time consuming, dragging Waterpaw around the beach; I expect Greenkit knows most of the nooks and crannies well," she added with a purr. Greenkit suddenly felt very close to the black she-cat with green eyes as bright as her own. Almost a kinship.

Before long, the Twilightfur and Greenkit were wiggling through the entry space of the hollow, to the top of the dune outside, and down to the beach. It was morning-time, and the tide was low. Greenkit pointed this out to Twilightfur, and began to describe what this meant, as they meandered slowly down the beachside. "All sorts of rocks and shells will have been washed up overnight," Greenkit explained, gesturing with her small tail to the rows and rows of stones. "This is the best time to find pearls for Waterpaw's mam. Twilightfur," Greenkit remembered she had a question to ask. "Why am I Greenkit? And Water, Water _paw?_ "

Twilightfur was quiet for a moment, examining the beauty the tides had brought to the beach. She then dove into a tale about Clan cats, how they came to be, how they followed the Warrior Code, and how StarClan watched over them all. She described the milky warmth of the nursery and the wild strength cats developed to protect it, and how even though the Clans could come together in times, they battled for prey and territory and kept distinguished lines between Clans. By the time she had finished, they had reached the Saltmarsh, and Greenkit was in awe. "And that's why you came here, Twilightfur? StarClan told you we needed you?"

"And it seems StarClan was right," Twilightfur purred. "You're all about as helpless as kits!"

"Hey!" Greenkit protested indignantly. "I'm a kit, and I certainly managed to sneak up on you!"

"Yes," Twilightfur agreed. "But you also fight like a confused squirrel!"

Her comment sedated Greenkit for a moment, but Twilightfur was still purring and she realized she was really only joking. Even if, Greenkit admitted, there might have been some truth in her words.

The two she-cats sat at the edge of where the Saltmarsh began. The Littlefall pooled into a very small pond, in which the Saltmarsh encased. The Saltmarsh was a very pretty place, in Greenkit's opinion. There were lush green grasses, growing in patches, where the water from the sea and Littlefall pool met around. There were a few clusters of thin trees here and there, but clusters of green plants mainly dominated the land before it broke off into the sea. On the far side of the Littlefall pool, the Saltmarsh slowly mixed with the Snakeroot-trees. From a distance, you couldn't tell, but Greenkit had explored it enough. The trees had roots that, instead of being buried in the ground, overtopped the water, curling all among themselves like thousands of snakes. It was mostly watery, even during the dry season, unlike the Saltmarsh. It was wet, yet, but had dryer patches during the dry season.

Greenkit sat for a moment after pointing all of this out to Twilightfur, absorbing it's beauty, like she had many times before. Twilightfur suddenly reminded Greenkit of a special moment, Greenkit and her mam sitting side-by-side, overlooking the beautiful, fruitful land before them. "It's all yours, kit." her mam would tell her. "All yours."

Greenkit was starting to doubt her mam's words, though. She was starting to think she didn't want it all for herself. Before the Nighttime cats had come, sure, she wanted the entire beach to herself. But now she was quite certain she wanted to share it. And defend it alongside cats she cared for, and cats that cared about her. She felt a warm glow come over her that had nothing to do with the rising sun.

It was much warmer now, the cool mist of the night was completely overtaken by the bright tendrils of the sun. By sun-high, the sand of the beach and dunes would be almost unbearably hot. But, Greenkit reasoned, they had time. And she was certain Pearl would help care for raw, burned pads when they returned.

"Well, Greenkit." Twilightfur mewed without turning her head. "Are you ready to help me spread news of the Clans to the cats?"

Greenkit wriggled. Yes, she decided. She was ready to share this warmth with as many cats she possibly could.


	8. Chapter 8

Spreading the warmth turned out to be a much harder feat than Greenkit thought possible. She had temporarily forgotten how unforthcoming cats of the Clifflands were. She forgot how proud beach-cats were, in particular.

The cat that Twilightfur was trying to persuade at this moment in time was a particularly fierce-looking ginger she-cat. She looked very close to kitting. So far, Twilightfur had asked Greenkit to simply keep _quiet_ company, but it was becoming increasingly more difficult to do so when these cats were being so mouse-brained.

"I'm not leaving this beach," the she-cat hissed stubbornly, arching her back. "Not to tromp off to meet a stranger to this land, demanding that I listen and abide."

"She's not _demanding_ anything, you old furball! She's trying to help!" Greenkit hissed indignantly, unsheathing and sheathing her claws in frustration.

Twilightfur whipped her head to the side, staring hardly at Greenkit with blazing eyes. Greenkit held her chin high for a moment, but felt Twilightfur's bright eyes burning into her fur, and dropped her head, abashed.

The ginger she-cat hissed at Greenkit, shock, disdain, and anger all coming together in her eyes. "Hrmph!" she finally growled, turning away as swiftly as her pregnant belly would let her. She trotted off, her fur bristling and tail stuck high in the air.

Twilightfur sighed, sitting with her tail wrapped around her paws. "That's the third to storm off," she mewed, as if to herself. She then turned her head to Greenkit. "If you're to be a part of a clan, you will learn to respect your elders." She mewed sternly. "The clans shall only grow successfully if built upon a foundation of mutual trust and respect."

Greenkit kneaded the ground. "But how am I suppose to respect a cat so mouse-brained?" She flattened her ears against her head. "And one who doesn't respect me," she added.

"You are a kit," Twilightfur answered simply. "So long as the meeting at the Steppingstone-place tonight goes well, your only job will be to learn and adjust to the ways of the Warrior Code. And you can start with respect!"

"It's a load of barnacles," Greenkit muttered, looking at the cracked land beneath her feet. "She was ready to rip our fur off!"

"If I remember correctly, _you_ tried to rip _our_ fur off," Twilightfur reminded her. Greenkit glanced up at Twilightfur, but her eyes were now glowing with a sense of amusement, the same amusement that she had when Greenkit had first tried to attack the group of cats. "Attack" being a relative term, of course.

"Okay," Greenkit finally mewed. "I suppose it's not so simple."

Twilightfur nodded, satisfied with the kit's response. "I expect word of our story and our request will have flown around the beach, now. We shall hunt and regroup at the hollow with Pearl. There's something important I must discuss with her."

Greenkit's ears perked. "What about? Will she be our medicine cat?" Greenkit asked, reflecting on their conversation about the clans early in the morning on the beach. Questions flew through her mind like the beach wind. "What about Waterpaw? Will she join us as well?"

"Never you mind," Twilightfur chided, standing to her paws and padding down the brush behind the Dunes, toward the hollow. "All you need to worry about is fresh-kill. To start early with your lessons of the Warrior Code, you will hunt for Pearl, and make sure she is fed before hunting for yourself. That's one of the most fundamental codes. The Clan eats first. You may be a kit, but you are able."

Greenkit nodded obediently, but felt a flurry inside that made her unable to accept the answer completely. "Yes, I will, but why? Can't Pearl hunt for herself? Can't Waterpaw –"

"All in good time, Greenkit." Twilightfur cut her off, answering purposefully. Greenkit sensed she had pushed far enough, and resolved all of her willpower to remain quiet as she padded in the opposite direction than Twilightfur, back toward the Saltmarsh to hunt for prey. All in good time, she promised herself. All in good time.

Greenkit watched Pearl accept the sparrow she had caught her, dragging it into her den in the hollow. Greenkit's belly was rumbling.

Greenkit had spent the last half moon hunting for herself and only herself, but still did not have much hunting skill. Some nights she went hungry. Greenkit had caught the sparrow with some difficulty, and had not managed to catch anything for herself.

She considered eating the sparrow herself, and coming back empty-pawed. But Greenkit had no idea where Twilightfur had wandered off to hunt, and wasn't going to take any chances in case she was secretly watching her.

Greenkit laid herself down near the nest she had made in the hollow, licking her muzzle hungrily. It was well past sun-high, and no more bright rays of sunshine reached the hollow. She could go out and hunt later on, Greenkit reasoned, but she felt anxious being away from Twilightfur. Greenkit didn't want to miss anything important.

Greenkit's anxiety was eased fairly quickly as Twilightfur arrived in the hollow. Greenkit scrambled to her paws as Twilightfur slithered through the entrance. "Did you come across any more cats? When are we leaving for the Steppingstone-place? Are you –"

Twilightfur silenced her with a flick of her tail. "It's time Pearl and I were aquianted." She mewed, striding over to the herb cat's den. Greenkit stumbled over her paws to follow, but again, Twilightfur stopped her with a tail flick. "Just Pearl and I. Why don't you wait for Waterpaw to return? She should be back soon; evening is upon us."

Greenkit's tail and chin drooped, crestfallen. Twilightfur had been so open to the kit's involvement, and Greenkit was surprised she wasn't invited into the conversation. But, thinking quickly, she made a show of pushing through the hollow entrance, kicking up bits of sand and making noise as she went. She waited more than a few moments outside the hollow, until she heard nothing inside; slowly, stealthily she slunk back through, taking heed to move silently.

She was rather good at sneaking, despite her loud tongue. Greenkit found that sneaking was the best way to guide herself through adventures. Dropping into a hunting crouch, she slowly slid across the edge of the hollow closest to the herb cat's den. Carefully, so carefully, she propped herself on the edge, and strained her ears.

It wasn't difficult to hear them, and Greenkit supposed the den was not carved too deepily into the cliffside, or else they were not tucked in too far for their chat. Greenkit didn't have to strain her ears too hard to hear the two cats mew, and settled on her belly, but tensed her legs, ready to jump away once she heard any sign of an exit.

"Waiting for Waterpaw," Twilightfur mewed, an amused edge on her tone. "Though I wouldn't put it above her to be listening right now."

Greenkit froze, her heart pounding. The hollow was sheltered from the beach winds, so there was no chance her scent would be blowing toward her. Was she really so predictable?

"She'll need close attending to; a strong mentor to smooth her edges. And her tongue," Twilightfur added, continuing with a purr. Greenkit's heart pitter-pattered. A mentor! She could hardly relieve her excitement. "But never mind Greenkit. I have an important question to ask of you, Pearl."

The old she-cat was silent, but Greenkit could imagine her nod, because Twilightfur continued after a small, small pause. "Each clan will be in an area accustomed to each of the leader's. We've been lucky in that the clifflands seem to accommodate each of the traditional clans – River, Wind, Shadow, and Thunder. I come from RiverClan. And I will be claiming the beach, Dunes, Saltmarsh and Snakeroot-trees as my territory, so long as everything goes well tonight."

"To the point, young one. I have shared dreams with the Tribe of Endless Hunting, and StarClan both. I was prepared for you and your siblings arrival." Pearl rasped, patiently despite her pressing words.

Pearl had helped Greenkit when her mam had first died. Greenkit had come down with a nasty case of sand fleas after making a nest under an infested brush bush. Pearl had rubbed smartweed over her pelt; a spicy herb that Pearl explained would repel the fleas. Then she applied broomsedge over each of her bites to relieve her of itching. She was quiet, but radiated wisdom. Greenkit found her very intimidating, which was a brand new sensation. She usually didn't fright or be made uncomfortable easily.

"First, I would like to invite you to be SaltClan's – my clan, that is – SaltClan's medicine cat. Usually medicine cats are forbidden from having kits, but while the cats of the land are adjusting to the ways of the Warrior Code, I'd like to make an exception. You are an exceptionally well-learned herb cat, and I would be honored to lead with you by my side."

Pearl let out a dusty mrrow of laughter. "No need to flatter. I have faith in my healing abilities. Now, what is the second request?"

Pearl had proceeded without answering Twilightfur, and her tone made Greenkit feel as if she already knew what was coming next, and was allowing Twilightfur to ask out of politeness. Greenkit wondered if Twilightfur sensed the same thing.

But if she did, she didn't sound like it. "Next, I'd like to ask to use this hollow as the Clan camp. It's wonderfully protected, from the elements as well as any threats. It is very spacious, but not too large, either. It would be a fairly straightforward process of renovation."

"Renovation," Pearl repeated sharply. Greenkit tensed up. "I have been preparing myself for this request for some time, and have planned on accepting your offer fully. However, I must ask what renovations you speak of, as well as their necessity."

Twilightfur was not tripped up by the old cat's sharp tone. "Simple ones. We need to make a very well protected nursery, to begin with. A fresh-kill pile would be quite necessary as well, out of the heat of the cliffs and sun, but placed far enough in camp to avoid the raccoons and minxes that Waterpaw has warned me so fully of. Aside from that, the camp is reasonably well protected. Simple, straightforward changes. You, of course, would remain in your den. Waterpaw as well."

"Ah," the old cat meowed, her mew sounding satisfied with Twilightfur's answer. She moved the topic quite quickly. "Waterpaw. Now, I have a suggestion for you, as the Clan leader."

"Yes?" Greenkit could hear the off-handed curiosity in her tone. She didn't sound threatened, but genuinely curious regarding the old she-cat's suggestion.

"Waterpaw is the only fully-trained herb cat in the land, aside from myself. The other clans must be trained in the ways of medicine. Should you like, sending Waterpaw to each Clan for an allotted time to train their chosen medicine cats will drastically help. Some cats around here, I have seen very regularly, and help me fetch herbs and such. She may seek out these cats and train them the further basics."

Greenkit was almost appauled. Twilightfur had told her stories of battle, of ingrained Clan rivalry. Wouldn't training their medicine cats end an advantage SaltClan – SaltClan! – had over the others?

Twilightfur was silent for a moment, and then replied with an even mew. Greenkit could sense no doubt, no disagreement in her tone. "Yes," she agreed. "How long should suffice?"

"Waterpaw is a good cat. Very well learned, patient enough to teach even the most incompetent, and swift in her teachings. Something she definitely did not pick up from me," Pearl laughed with a heavy mrrow. "She is a natural-born teacher. A quarter-moon for each Clan will be sufficient. She may return to us on a full moon, following StarClan's approval."

StarClan. Right, Greenkit thought. StarClan surely would display their displeasure if they withheld Waterpaw from training other medicine cats. It would be cruel, Greenkit decided. Very cruel.

"So it shall be," Twilightfur mewed. "Do you accept the position as our medicine cat?"

Greenkit held her breathe, but Pearl began to purr. "I accept."

Greenkit could hear Twilightfur relax. She let out a breath. "Excellent. Your presence as the Gathering tonight should be something of a comfort, having a respected, well-known cat's approval. As smooth as honey!"

"Oh," Pearl was the tense one now. Greenkit could smell her fear-scent from outside the den. "Oh, no, young one. I will not be attending the Gathering tonight."

Twilightfur was silent. Greenkit could guess she was wondering whether to pursue the conversation and get a real response, or to accept Pearl's discomfort without question.

It was at this thought that Twilightfur was suddenly looming over Greenkit. Her dark fur seemed to create an even darker shadow over Greenkit, Twilightfur's bright, bright green eyes piercing Greenkit's with disapproval. Greenkit could not sense any amusement in her eyes this time.

"Greenkit." Twilightfur mewed sternly. "I do not recall inviting you to the conversation. As a matter of fact, I recall doing just the opposite."

Greenkit bowed her head, her ears pressed down to her head, her tail still. "Sorry, Twilightfur." She didn't offer any explanation. She didn't have one. She was eavesdropping.

Twilightfur sighed, padding out of the den completely. "The leader's words are Code, Greenkit. You must learn to channel your curiosity, and learn some patience, as well."

Greenkit risked a peek up. "Well, I didn't know your word was Code!" she mewed defiantly, but brought her head back down to avoid Twilightfur's shocked eyes.

"Should it be Code or not, I believe we've already had a conversation regarding respecting your elders." She mewed sterly. "Under normal circumstance, I would not allow you to attend the Gathering tonight. But, seeing as you are not technically an apprentice, as you are too young, and seeing as the future of the cliffland Clans teeters on tonight's Gathering, I will not restrict your attendance."

Greenkit kneaded the ground with sheathed claws. Would Twilightfur really not let her go? Greenkit wondered. Then she had a new thought, whispering to her quietly…Greenkit knew she was very sneaky; even if Twilightfur did restrict her, she could attend any Gathering unnoticed anyway, she was sure.

It was this thought that comforted her. Greenkit retreated to the nest she had slept in the previous night and began grooming herself as Twilightfur recoiled to her den. She quivered with excitement. Tonight, the Gathering. Tomorrow, a Clan. Friends. A mentor.

A family.


	9. Chapter 9

Greenkit couldn't help but gasp approaching the Steppingstone-place. There were _so many cats_! She was amazed all of them fit on the boulder island in the center of the lake. And she had never seen so many cats in one place! There had to be almost a hundred cats crowded on the boulder.

Feeling her fur bristle, Greenkit tried to calm herself. The Cliffland cats were not friendly felines, to say the least. Most of them were not accustomed to company, as it was. She smelled the scent of so many emotions – anxiety, surprise, and nervousness, even fear. But she also scented excitement, curiosity. The scents of so many cats created a kaliedescope of aromas. Greenkit was feeling overwhelmed.

Even Waterpaw shook with nerves, and she knew more of these cats than Greenkit could dream. Twilightfur, on the other hand, seemed to be fairly calm, considering the situation. They approached the edge of the lake cautiously, Twilightfur leading the trio. She hopped from stone to stone, which were all raised well above the waterline, considering the dry season. Greenkit knew during the wet season the lake wouldn't be so shallow, but the steppingstones were so massive that she didn't think it would cause an issue in the future.

She followed more slowly than Twilightfur and Waterpaw. The steppingstones were not nestled together, and it took a lot of strength and watchfulness to make her way to the boulder island.

The moon was shining brightly, making the water shake with silver crests. Even the stars seemed to dance on the lake. Greenkit found herself calming; she felt safe near the water. She made a particularly hefty leap, and almost slid from the stone she crash-landed on. She picked herself up, hissing, darting her head back and forth to make sure no cat had seen her. But they all seemed to be focused forward, on the boulder island.

Making one more jump, landing precariously on the edge of the boulder island, Greenkit saw why. The Nighttime cats, Twilightfur, Midnightfoot, Dawntail and Duskpelt, were all sitting upon a cluster of boulders in the center of the island, above the many cats gathered around.

It was so packed, there were cats pushed almost to the edge of the boulder island. There were so many different colored pelts before her; it looked like a spotted rainbow of cat colors. Greenkit was suddenly thankful for her small kit size. She squeezed through cats, which proved to be not as difficult as she anticipated – most of the cats were sitting at least some mouse-tails away from one another. It was almost vaguely silent – apart from the heavy breathing of many cats and a few murmors here and there, there was a nervous quietness.

Greenkit wasn't surprised by this. It was just the way of the Cliffclands. "It's a cat eat cat world," she muttered to herself, continuing to push through the cats to get closer to the boulders, remembering her mam's anxious warning. "A cat eat cat wold."

They simply didn't grow up to be friendly. Suddenly, as she approached the boulder, Greenkit was feeling uncertain, doubts crowding her mind. How could these cats sort into Clans when they didn't even know, or like one another? How could StarClan, the Tribe of Endless Something-or-another, find this to be a solution? Greenkit felt the uneasiness of the cats around her and felt it envelope her as well.

But then Midnightfoot introduced himself. "Cats of the Clifflands," he began, his voice calm, clear, and loud enough to reach all of the cats with ease. "My name is Midnightfoot. And this is Twilightfur –" Greenkit watched the she-cat meet the eyes of the cats below her with a hint of uncertainty. She wondered if Twilightfur was having the same doubts. "Duskpelt –" he hoisted himself up higher, his dark, dark eyes flickering with an emotion Greenkit couldn't label. Was it arrogance? Intense certainty? Whatever it was, she didn't find it comforting to meet his black eyes. "And Dawntail." The she-cat, which Greenkit now noticed was slightly smaller than her siblings, had the same uncertainty in her green eyes that Twilightfur seemed to have.

"We come from a far land. We understand, through the wishes of our warrior ancestors, that the Clifflands are where we needed to be."

"These warrior ancestors you speak of," a tom amongst the cats spat, loud enough for everyone to hear. "Did they mention you would be unwelcome?"

Midnightfoot did not falter, nor loose his stiff but comfortable stance, wrapping his tail around his legs. "Yes," he answered simply. "They did."

Greenkit couldn't hold back a meow of surprise. This was new information to her.

"Yet we followed the long path here anyway," Midnightfoot continued. "and wish to have the privilege of bringing you together once more."

A young gray tom with brown patches sitting quite close to Greenkit howled, "We are comfortable in our ways! Who invited you to change them?"

There were a few yowls of agreement among the crowd, but not as many as Greenkit would have expected. Most of the cats were relatively quiet. Greenkit wondered if the Nighttime cats were going to share about the Moonfly cavern, and the Tribe of Endless Hunting. But that didn't seem to be on the agenda.

Instead, Twilightfur held her head higher, her bristling black fur relaxing. She mewed without a hint of the stress she was exhibiting. "We hope you shall invite us. We are here to explain the ways of the Warrior Code, the lives of Clan cats."

There were a few protests arising, but Twilightfur yowled over them. "But what we won't be able to explain is the warmth of comraderie, the fierce pride of battling alongside your clanmates, the security of knowing you shall be cared for, in sickness, old age, and new life. We can't explain the relaxation of sharing tongues after a trying day, of knowing you shall never be cast away and alone, and the intense clarity that comes from trust in your clanmates, in your leaders, and in your ancestors – in StarClan."

There was an eerie silence that overcame the boulder island. During her speech, Twilightfur had ended up on all four paws, her tail lashing, her eyes flashing with such an intensity Greenkit knew most cats would be unable to meet her flashing green eyes. Twilightfur licked her muzzle, and slowly sat back beside Midnightfoot, who allowed the silence to sink in with Twilightfur's words before mewing again.

He began quietly, loud enough to hear from all around the boulder, she was sure, but only if the cats along the edges strained their ears. "These things, and so much more. We cannot explain the refuge or elation that comes from clan pride. As we –" he flicked his tail to his siblings. "Cannot imagine a life of lonesomeness, of fending for ourselves whilst sick, whilst old, of forcing our kits away for the sake of tradition."

A beautiful sandy-colored queen with darker brown flecks dispersed throughout her pelt pulled her two young kits closer. She wrapped a tail around them protectively, hissing as if to dare a cat to take her kits from her.

A tom directly in front of her with a sandy colored coat nodded slowly, looking up to the Nighttime cats. "Aye," he called out. "The ways of the Clifflands are flawed indeed. I shan't put words in the other cat's muzzles, but I wish to hear what ye have to share."

Greenkit shook her head in surprise. She had only heard the dialect once, when she was a very young kit. She couldn't place it, exactly, but she knew it was local – local, meaning, local to the Clifflands, but not to the times. Her mam had told her stories of ancient cats, with strange tongues, before the Clifflands came to be.

There were a few hisses, but many yowls of approval, including from the queen near Greenkit. Midnightfoot nodded once, and took advantage of the opportunity. "We wish to bring the clans to you. We wish to lead you to a brighter day, a stronger future. For the oldest cat in the Clifflands, to the youngest kit. We wish to bring you together. We wish to provide you with names, for as to strengthen our bonds."

"And you should lead us?" A tom from the other side of the boulder island hissed. "Strangers to our land?"

Greenkit winced as the young tom near her yowled his agreement. But Midnightfoot did not look abashed. His eyes didn't even flicker as he mewed after a small silence, to give the cat's question some validity. "You may all vote upon it, if you like. Could you all agree on a set of cats to lead you?"

Midnightfoot already knew the answer – it being no, of course not; few cats even knew one another, let alone would be able to come to a collective vote. Greenkit suppressed a purr and choked back a mrrow of light laughter. Why had she been worried before? Midnightfoot clearly knew what he was doing.

Looking around at the cats surrounding her on the boulder island, Greenkit suddenly caught sight of Waterpaw. She was sitting as close to the boulder as she could manage, looking up to Midnightfoot with stars in her gray eyes. Greenkit knew, begrudgingly as some may come, the cats could adapt to the life of clans. Greenkit felt her fur bristle with excitement.

The gray tom growled and cast his eyes downward, but looking around the other cats around her, Greenkit noticed their visible relaxation. Midnightfoot had somehow diminished most traces of anxiety, his words seemingly soothing, despite the topic of drastic change.

It was then he began to explain the basic ways of the Clans, much of what Greenkit had already heard from Twilightfur. But Midnightfoot had the attention of the surrounding cats. The attention grew in intensity as he spoke of StarClan, of the warrior ancestors that kept watch over them, even when they didn't know it – that StarClan had always been here, it was just a matter of being introduced to them. Midnightfoot soon had the full attention of the cats. Greenkit's fur continued to bristle with excitement and began to knead the ground. _It's really happening!_ She thought excitedly. _It's really, really happening!_

"I shall lead RootClan," Midnightfoot announced. "And we shall rule the territory to the left of the boulder island, reaching from the cliffs to the pine scrub. The Snakeroot-trees shall be contained in our territory as well."

Greenkit felt a flooding of alarm. The Snakeroot-trees? But those were on the beach! How were they planning to get there? The cliffs were near impossible to climb! And if they belonged to RootClan, she wouldn't be allowed there anymore…

Greenkit glanced at Twilightfur. She held a confident pose, but Greenkit saw her struggling to hide her own alarm at the announcement. Had the Nighttime cats not discussed this beforehand?

"And I, CliffClan." Duskpelt interrupted her thoughts, without any of the growl Greenkit had come accustomed to. In fact, there was a new authority in his mew she had never noticed before. Authority, she realized. Authority was the gleam she had seen in his dark, dark eyes. A certainty to rule. "Our territory includes the Pine scrub, as well as the cliffs, to the left of the Snakeriver.

Dawntail glanced at Twilightfur, as if unsure if she was to speak next. But Twilightfur was still recovering from the shock of the loss of Snakeroot-trees. Greenkit knew she was unprepared for Midnightfoot's announcement. She was expecting to rule the Snaketroot-trees.

 _And rightfully so!_ Greenkit thought, her fur bristling again, but this time from annoyance and anger. _They_ were on the beach!

"I shall lead FernClan." Dawntail announced softly. Soft mew or otherwise, there was still a certainty in her mew. "We shall rule the land to the right of the Snakeriver, including the Oak scrub, and the Brokencreeks."

Twilightfur suddenly snapped back into position. "And I will lead SaltClan. We will rule the beaches and the Dune scrub, as well as the Saltmarsh."

She mentioned nothing of the Snakeroot-trees, Greenkit noticed quickly. But why? She knew they were rightfully SaltClan's!

Midnightfoot nodded once toward Twilightfur, and then ended the Gathering consisely. "We do not expect you to make this decision right this moment. For those of you who already know, you may follow us back to our respective camps. All others have until tomorrow, at sun-high, to decide. You shall meet us in our prospective land: RootClan, to the left of the Snakeriver, near the Smallcliffs. CliffClan, to the left of the Snakeriver, near the Steppingstone-place. FernClan, to the right of the Snakeriver, near the Brokencreeks. And SaltClan –"

"At the bottom of the Cliffpath that leads to the beach." Twilightfur interrupted cooly. _Ha!_ Greenkit thought to herself. _Take that, Midnightfoot! We don't need you speaking for us!_

Midnightfoot acted as though she hadn't interrupted, continuing equally as cool, sans SaltClan's meeting place. "We hope to see you soon."

What about the cats who decided they _didn't_ want to become a part of the Clans, though? What would happen to them?

Greenkit shrugged the question off, waiting in anticipation as the cats began to disperse. Duskpelt leapt from the boulder first. He made no call, and left the boulder island swiftly, leaping from stone to stone. More cats than Greenkit had anticipated followed him into the darkness of the Pine scrub. Was it really working?

Dawntail left next, calling with her soft but commanding tone. "FernClan may find shelter this way." And bounded away with an assortment of cats following.

Greenkit watched as other cats leapt from the boulder island, but followed neither cat. A few wandered off by themselves, to think about it more, Greenkit assumed. Though she didn't know what there was to think about. Either they wanted to be in a Clan, or they didn't. There was no in between.

Midnightfoot and Twilightfur remained a-top the boulders, mewing in quiet, hushed tones. Twilightfur's fur was bristling, her ears flattening. Midnightfoot seemed to be mewing sternly back. Twilightfur actually hissed, and Midnightfoot bounded from the boulder. "RootClan." was all he mewed, and flicked his tail toward the steppingstones. A shocking number of cats followed his clear command, leaving the boulder island with haste.

Twilightfur settled her fur before leaping down to the remaining cats. Only a few more were slinking off into the night as loners, to think about the meeting. But a surprising amount of cats were awaiting her.

The queen that had been sitting so close to Greenkit was licking her kits hastily, her fur still bristling. She was licking them as if to ensure they were still there. But the sandy-colored tom with the old-Cliffland dialect approached her with soft, slow paws. "Would you care for some help with that, lass?"

And to Greenkit's surprise, the queen nodded, pushing over a small kit with her nose. The two picked the kits up by their necks and awaited Twilightfur's move.

Twilightfur waited for the loners to scamper off before getting ready to leave the boulder island. "The Snakeroot-trees are not in our territory right now. But we shall change that."

And with a flick of her tail, she led the remaining cats away from the remanences of the Gathering, toward the sandy hollow – toward home.


	10. Allegiances

**SaltClan – on the beach**

Leader: Twilightstar – all black she-cat with one white paw (front right) and ice-blue eyes. Previously RiverClan.

Apprentice, Riverpaw

Deputy: Seaheart – a tom with a sandy-colored coat and a white chest and belly, and gray-blue eyes

Medicine Cat: Pearlpelt – beautiful old silver she-cat with bright green eyes

Apprentice, Waterpaw

Warriors:

Reedtail – thin brown tabby tom with a long tail and amber eyes

Shellstream – gray-blue she-cat with a white chest and paws, and light-green eyes

Apprentice, Sunpaw

Frogleg – black and brown tabby tom with powerful legs and green eyes

Apprentice, Tidepaw

Hollowclaw – sandy tabby tom with large, sharp claws and amber eyes

Apprentice, Sharkpaw

Sandflame – striking ginger and brown tortoiseshell she-cat with brown eyes

Stormrush – blue and cream tortoiseshell she-cat with pale green eyes

Apprentices:

Sunpaw – sleek golden-brown she-cat with bright yellow eyes

Sharkpaw – white and gray tabby striped tom with yellow-green eyes

Tidepaw – dark tabby tom with large black stripes and orange eyes

Riverpaw – gray tabby tom with darker gray patches and blue eyes

Queens:

Beachflower – sandy brown she-cat with dark brown flecks and green eyes

Rosekit - sandy colored she-cat with ginger markings and bright green eyes

Bluekit - small blue-gray tom with orange eyes

Coralclaw – ginger tabby she-cat with sharp claws and green eyes

Shrimpkit – light brown tabby tom with white ears, tail tip, and chest, with a crooked tail and green eyes

Greenkit (mother passed away, living in nursery) – gray and white she-cat with bright green eyes

 **FernClan – in the oak scrub**

Leader: Dawnstar– black she-cat with white paw (back-left) and bright green eyes. Previously WindClan.

Apprentice, Windpaw

Deputy: Meadowfur – white she-cat with red shaded patches and yellow eyes

Medicine Cat: Flutterbelly – large long-haired ginger tom with dark stripes and bright amber eyes

Warriors:

Shallowstep – pale gray tom with short legs and green eyes

Apprentice, Smoothpaw

Berrybreath – cream tom with white stripes and amber eyes

Apprentice, Bumblepaw

Lavendertail – dark silver tabby she-cat with white paws, chest and tail

Apprentice, Pebblepaw

Runningcreek – very fast sleek gray tabby tom with light green eyes

Wildflower – bright ginger she-cat with white legs and bright green eyes

Wingheart – small, swift ginger tom with black stripes

Fishtail – young gray tabby tom with blue eyes and a short tail

Apprentices:

Bumblepaw – yellow tabby tom with dark brown stripes and bright yellow eyes

Smoothpaw – cream tabby tom with yellow eyes

Pebblepaw – cream tom with small gray spots and green eyes

Windpaw – very light ginger she-cat with brown stripes and amber eyes

Queens:

Morningsong – pale ginger she-cat with white stripes and light green eyes (Runningcreek)

Rainkit – gray she-cat with white stripes and blue eyes

Flowerkit – pale ginger tabby she-cat with blue eyes

Cloverkit – gray tabby tom with light green eyes

Pollenkit - white tom with ginger speckle spots and green eyes

Frostflame – long-haired white she-cat with swirly ginger markings and yellow eyes

Pink-kit – long-haired very light ginger she-cat with yellow eyes

Tumblekit – long-haired dark brown tom with amber eyes

Splashkit – ginger and brown tortoiseshell she-cat with amber eyes

 **RootClan – open wilderness to the right of the Snakeriver**

Leader: Midnightstar – black tom with a distinguishing white paw and brown-red eyes (back-right) Previously ThunderClan.

Apprentice, Thunderpaw

Deputy: Graycloud – older, long-haired, smoky-grey she-cat with hazel eyes and a white chest

Medicine cat: Owlnose – dark brown tom with even darker black and brown stripes and a white chest

Warriors:

Floodfoot: Long-haired white tom with gray spots, a black foot, and amber eyes

Apprentice, Beepaw

Branchleg: dark tortoiseshell she-cat with distinct brown legs, a long tail and blue eyes

Foxheart - dark brown tom with dark black and red stripes, large black paws, and a bushy red tail

Apprentice, Cricketpaw

Springstep -silver tabby she-cat with black stripes and long legs and bright green eyes

Palepelt– very light gray tabby she-cat with darker gray flecks and yellow eyes

Blueshadow – Dark blue-gray she-cat with dark green eyes

Marshfoot – brown tabby tom with black paws and yellow eyes

Tallreed – large dark brown tabby tom with long legs and yellow eyes

Apprentices:

Beepaw - dark ginger tabby tom with black stripes and yellow eyes

Cricketpaw – dusky brown tabby tom with green eyes

Thunderpaw – long-haired white tom with hazel eyes

Queens:

Vinestripe: Sandy colored she-cat with dark brown stripes and green eyes

Ivykit – light gray she-cat with dark gray stripes, a long tail and green eyes

Stonekit – dark gray tabby tom with yellow eyes

Graykit – dark gray tabby tom with green eyes

Morningclaw – creamy she-cat with black legs and a long black-striped tail and blue eyes (Floodfoot)

Frostkit –white she-cat with black legs and blue eyes

Turtlekit – white tom with black markings and amber eyes

 **CliffClan – the cliffs behind the pine scrub**

Leader: Duskstar – black tom with a distinguishing white paw and deep, dark eyes (front-left) Previously Shadowclan.

Apprentice, Shadowpaw

Deputy: Longshadow – smokey black tom with white chest and paws and light amber eyes

Medicine cat: Lizardtongue – gray tabby tom with black ears and tail with green eyes and a long tongue

Warriors:

Loudfoot – big black tabby tom with large paws and a white tail, white ears and yellow eyes

Apprentice, Wildpaw

Gorsewhisker – silver tom with black spots and green eyes

Apprentice, Wolfpaw

Frostfoot – long-haired white she-cat with black patches and light yellow eyes

Cedarstripe – dark ginger tabby she-cat with dark brown stripes, a white chest and amber eyes

Apprentice, Snakepaw

Crackclaw – Gray and brown patched tabby tom with yellow eyes

Nutfoot – white she-cat with brown legs, a brown back and a brown tail and yellow eyes

Whiteflame – light ginger tabby tom with interesting white swirls, white ears and tail, and amber eyes

Apprentices:

Snakepaw (Snakebite) – gray tabby tom with long fangs and yellow eyes

Wolfpaw (Wolfeye) – gray tabby tom with a white chest and dark-colored eyes

Wildpaw (Wildfang) – small dark ginger she-cat with white chest and neck and bright yellow eyes

Shadowpaw (Shadownfoot) – dark brown tabby tom with black paws, black tail and amber eyes

Queens:

Willowfur – sleek, light-colored tortoiseshell she-cat with black ears and a long black tail and green eyes (Loudfoot)

Black-kit – big black tabby tom with a long tail and green eyes

Coldkit - sleek white she-cat with black ears, a long black tail and yellow eyes

Tanglefur – brown tabby she-cat with black flecks and a black tail and ears with yellow eyes (Gorsewhisker)

Buzzkit – black tom with silver flecks, a loud mouth and yellow eyes

Rattlekit – brown and black tortoiseshell she-cat with yellow eyes

Pinekit - silver she-cat with black spots, black paws and yellow eyes


	11. Chapter 11

She could not believe Twilightfur had requested – insisted - demanded that Greenkit slept in the nursery.

After all Twilightfur had taught her of the code; after finding prey for Pearl when Greenkit was so hungry she swore she could feel her stomach digesting itself; after travelling the beach with her new leader in search of cats to recruit…and she was to sleep in the nursery?

Getting back from the Gathering had been so exciting, racing down the Snakestream with toms and she-cats by her side, all bathed in pearly moonlight and serene rumble of the Snakestream. Twilightfur led them to Pearl's hollow, which now served as SaltClan's camp. She wasted no time in pointing out the different comadities of the camp to the new arrivals; the first cats of SaltClan. There was Pearl's den, Twilightfur's own den, the warrior's den, the apprentice's den, what would eventually be the elder's den, and finally, the nursery.

She quickly explained that all queen's should stay in the nursery; any cats older than six moons, but less than fourteen, should stay in the apprentice's den; and any cats older than fourteen moons in the warrior's den; at least until everything and everything was sorted properly in tomorrow's daylight.

Twilightfur declared that it had been a long evening for everyone, and to feel free to get comfortable and rest in the respective areas. Greenkit watched excitedly as cats of all colors and sizes nervously made their way to the warrior's or apprentice's den, a den carved in the cliff-side that was lined with ferns and moss, and heavily sheltered by a lining of fern.

The cats seemed vaguely uncomfortable, sleeping as far from each other as possible after picking out a nest. Some seemed more content than others; the sandy tom that had helped carry the queen's kit from the Gathering was downright happy to be among cats, it seemed to Greenkit. The apprentices generally seemed a bit more comfortable amongst one another; they were at least not itching to be sure they weren't touching one another. Greenkit had been trotting over proudly to join them when a long black tail whipped over her small chest, stopping Greenkit in her tracks.

"I thought you might try to sneak over," Twilightfur mewed, her tone amused despite a slight stressed gleam in her green eyes. "You will join them soon enough, Greenkit. But not quite yet."

"But, Twilightfur!" She began to protest indignantly, her fur bristling. "I—"

"I know," she interrupted, gently but assertively. Like a proper leader, Greenkit acknowledged begrudgingly. "You have done much for the beginnings of SaltClan. But you shall rest in the nursery until your proper age and ceremony."

Greenkit whipped her head up, meeting Twilightfur's icy blue eyes furiously. But before she could yap out further protests, Greenkit detected something else in Twilightfur's sressed eyes. Was it curiosity?

Was Greenkit being tested?

"Okay," Greenkit finally mewed, sulking. "But soon?"

"Soon," Twilightfur promised, sweeping herself around with a flourish to go check on the warrior's den. Greenkit scraped at the ground with an unsheathed claw, frustrated, before moping over to the thick brush bush that would be transformed into the nursery.

The beautiful sandy brown she-cat from the Gathering, with darker brown flecks marking her pelt, was already settling in with her two young kits, a sandy colored she-kit with ginger markings, and the other, a dark blue-gray tom who was much smaller than his sister. Their mam was licking both furiously as they suckled from her stomach. A small waft of milky fragrance made it's way to Greenkit's nose, and she inhaled, thinking of her own kit-hood.

"Oh!" The queen mewed at Greenkit's sharp inhale, seemingly surprised that Greenkit was joining them under the brush bush.

"I'll only be here a few nights," Greenkit told the queen quickly, licking her own white chest a few times. "Only a few nights, until I'll be an apprentice, too."

The queen nodded, seeming very unsure of Greenkit's words. "Yes."

Greenkit nodded, not in the mood for explaining. The queen would find out soon enough, and Greenkit was exhausted. She curled up close to the root of the bracken, some mouselengths away from the queen and her kits. Closing her eyes, she quickly began to fall into a slumber.

"Sleep tight," came a very quiet whisper. Greenkit couldn't be sure if she was already dreaming, or if it came from the queen sleeping so closely to her. Greenkit didn't open her eyes, and fell into a blanket of darkness.

Greenkit had been hoping to wake up with the sun, but the thick bracken of the makeshift nursery had blocked it almost completely. The sun was well on its way to sun-high when the sounds of other curious cats rustled Greenkit from her sleep.

"Let the cats of SaltClan gather beneath the Highledge for a Clan meeting."

Greenkit jumped at Twilightfur's yowl through the camp, bumping her head on branches of bracken above her. She tried to scramble out of the nursery, but her paws got tangled up beaneath her.

"Oh," she heard the queen beside her fret as Greenkit picked herself back up. "Oh…"

Greenkit spared a backwards glance as the queen looked helplessly from kit to kit. They were both too small to leave the nursery on their own accord, the blue-gray tom especially. Their mother looked up to meet Greenkit's eyes. "Will you grab him, please?"

Greenkit saw the trust in the queen's eyes, and wondered where this faith stemmed from. Cats of the clifflands, especially new queens, tended to be very distrusting, from what Greenkit had experienced. She hesitated for a moment, but then carefully pawed over to the kits.

"Like this," their mother exhibited, gently grasping the sandy, ginger she-kit by the soft scruff of her neck. The queen sat up slowly, the kit dangling from her jaws.

Greenkit pressed her nose into the small blue-gray tom, who was mewing quietly, his paws outreached as he looked for his mam's belly. Greenkit dropped her head down a little lower, carefully grasping the young kit by the nape of his neck.

She tried to lift him gently, but he was much heavier than she was expecting. Greenkit resisted the urge to drag him out of the nursery, and carefully padded out of the bracker. His mam followed Greenkit and the tom out of the nursery, his sister dangling from his mam's mouth.

Greenkit emerged from the nursery and the bright sunshine nearly blinded her. Was it much closer to sun-high than she thought? Even for the clifflands, the sun blazed a furious heat. She saw Twilightfur standing on a ledge above her den, which was the one situated closest to Pearl's. There was less than ten cat's crowded beneath her, a few looking around at each other uncertainly, but more than a few looking up to Twilightfur expectantly.

Greenkit tried not to show her struggle with the little kit in her jaws as she padded to the outer ring of the group. She waited for the sandy queen to take her place next to Greenkit and gently laid the little kit at his mam's feet. The queen set his sister down beside him, and met Greenkit's eyes, nodding her thanks and wrapping a tail around the kits protectively.

"Welcome," Twilightfur greeted the cats, her eyes sweeping over them with an approving glint in her eyes. There was also a hint of excitement; like that which Greenkit felt when she was beginning a new adventure.

"Welcome, cats of SaltClan." She amended, bowing her head respectfully. "I understand there are many questions you may have, and rightfully so. I've had the honor of speaking to many of you already. Your questions inspirit me. They feed an exhilarated certainty that we shall become the most respected, fearsome Clan of the clifflands."

Her words earned a yowl from a large, light brown tabby tom sitting closely to her. Greenkit felt a thrush of invigorating power pump through her veins. Yes!

"I hope I've gotten to answer many of your questions already. If, by the end of the meeting, you still have more questions that need resolve, I will be waiting for you. Please feel free to approach me at any time. But, for now, we must discuss the matter of positions and names within the Clan."

Greenkit couldn't help but look around the cats in awe. Twilightfur had their full, undivided attention. With one exception. Waterpaw was sitting near her mam at the outside of the medicine cat's den, her eyes glazing over as if in deep thought, somewhere else. What could that be about?

Greenkit snapped back to attention as Twilightfur continued.

"Typically, there are very specific rituals that grant each cat their name, as they move up with age, experience and wisdom within the clan. Kit's are named as such, and at six moons, are appropriated to a mentor, and take the name 'paw'. As they learn to hunt, fight, and live by the Warrior Code, they work towards becoming a full-fledged warrior, and take their final name; unless, of course, a warrior eventually becomes a leader, in which they take the name 'star.'

The Warrior Code is an outline of laws and principles that govern the ways of the Clan, and the behavior of the Clan's members. There are many, but are very straightforward. I shall overview them now, and you may ask detailed questions at any time. There are stories and tales that explain why each code is as such, which I shall be telling at each sun-down, after the long day is over and cats of SaltClan are sharing tongues."

Greenkit felt giddy, quivering with excitement as she saw the amazement glowing in each cat's eyes. The queen next to her was gazing up with such attention; she almost allowed her kit to blindly climb over her tail.

Almost. She swiped her tail back over the kits, and they rested.

Twilightfur listed each of the fifteen rules that made up the Warrior Code, briefly describing those that needed further clarification. All of the cats, even those just older than Greenkit that would make up the apprentices, listened intently. Twilightfur had them captivated, and Greenkit felt a twinge of pride in her chest that made her sit straighter, her chin high.

"Typically, before ending an apprenticeship and being granted a warrior name, the cat must have a full understanding of the Warrior Code. But, under the circumstances, I shall be awarding any cats over the age of fourteen moons a warrior name. I have been able to speak briefly to all those old enough, and wish to name each."

Greenkit found herself holding her breath. This was it. Every cat would be named, now. She would be just another cat of the Clan. She was unsure how she felt about this. Most of her body continued to quiver with excitement, so ready to feel fully a part of the Clan. Another part was rather uncertain. She felt special, having a name, whereas these cats didn't.

But, she decided, quickly channeling her excitement, it would be much easier once every cat had a name. Much, much easier.

"But first, I'd like to bring Pearl over to the ledge." Twilightfur nodded at Pearl, whose pelt was shimmering with all sorts of silvers and grays and hues of blue. She truly was a beautiful cat, however old.

Pearl padded over slowly, Waterpaw close behind her. The old cat's daughter was now staring attentively ahead, a crinkle of worry in her eyes. Was she worried about her old mam?

Pearl looked up at the ledge, but remained below it. It was clear Twilightfur had expected her to join her atop the ledge, but Twilightfur quickly amended herself, leaping down to join the old she-cat. She turned to face the rest of the clan.

"Many of you know this she-cat as Pearl. She has treated several of you over the course of many, many moons. And for that we thank and respect her. StarClan has granted Pearl the name that will reflect her duties as SaltClan's medicine cat: Pearlpelt. Pearlpelt, we thank you for your continued wisdom and healing."

Greenkit felt giddy as she yowled her support among other cats. Pearl was very popular, especially among the beach cats. They did not hide their appreciation.

Twilightfur and Pearlpelt touched noses, and then bowed heads to one another. Pearlpelt slowly waded her way back toward the edge of her den, seeming very calm and collected, despite the excitement, which was almost tangible in the air. But she did not seem calm and collected in a snotty way, of course – she simply exhibited the wisdom the she-cat always did.

Twilightfur nodded to the cat nearest her, the sandy-colored tom with the old Clifflands dialect that had spoken out at last night's Gathering. He was slightly larger than Twilightfur, but did not tower over her with any sort of dominance. He lowered his head as Twilightfur mewed, "I've had the pleasure of sharing tongues with this tom early this dawn. I am excited to introduce you to Seaheart." She mewed loudly, simply, and touched her nose to his.

The clan cats held back no more for Seaheart than they did for Pearlpelt. Even though he was probably a stranger to most of the surrounding cats, there was a feeling of comraderie as the cats cried his name. "Seaheart! Seaheart!"

Twilightfur waited for the yowls to die down before continuing. Seaheart did not pad back through the half-circle of crowded cats, seemingly waiting for something. Greenkit didn't have a moment to wonder what he was waiting for before Twilightfur continued.

"Seaheart will be the deputy of SaltClan. His insight, clear-minded judgement, and empathy for other cats is clear, and I am honored to announce his full trust in the growing SaltClan."

Seaheart dipped his head at the surrounding cats. They wasted no time in picking up with their yowls. Greenkit, again, joined enthusiastically. The queen near her joined in even louder. There was a precious gleam in her eyes, something beyond respect – was it admiration? Greenkit asked herself.

The cats were continually named until only the apprentices were left. The regular ceremony was explained, and Twilightfur adjusted it to suit her needs before assigning each of the apprentices a newly named warrior. Greenkit felt many pangs of envy as they licked Twilightfur's shoulder and touched noses with their newly appointed mentors. Why couldn't she join? She truly was only a few short sunrises away from being six moons…

As Twilightfur ended the apprentice's ceremonies, her voice was rasping from all of its use. But the day was approaching sun-high quickly, Greenkit realized. It would almost be time to fetch the cats who had taken longer to decide whether or not they wanted to join!

Twilightfur acknowledged this quickly as she jumped back onto the Highledge above her den. "We shall soon be welcoming even more cats to the Clan. Seaheart has been instructed to arrange patrols – both hunting and for borders, which has been explained to him, and he shall explain to those attending. We shall hold the other cat's naming ceremonies after we feast in celebration. A celebration of new beginnings."

There were many yowls as she jumped down from the ledge, and dipped her head in appreciation. As Seaheart began explaining the patrols to the newly named warriors surrounding him, Twilightfur slunk through the camp exit to meet the new cats.

Greenkit couldn't decide where she wanted to go. Did she want to go meet the apprentices she would soon be training with? Or hear what Seaheart had to share about the patrols? Or, she thought slyly…she could follow Twilightfur.

But her thoughts were soon interrupted as she heard the mew of the kits near her. Beachflower, the newly named queen, was licking the tops of their heads. "They'll be hungry soon…" she mewed softly, eyes locked with Greenkit's.

Greenkit understood completely. She padded over to the tiniest kit, the blue-gray tom, and picked him up by the scruff. "Bluekit," Beachflower nodded warmly at the bundle in Greenkit's jaws. "And Rosekit."

Greenkit lead Beachflower back to the nursery, trying to channel her enthusiasm into her immediate plans to refrain from hurting Bluekit with an unnecessary excited nip. Greenkit could feel the pulses of SaltClan in her blood. She knew where she was meant to be, in that moment.

And that was just where she was.

*Snakestream: I recognize I switched from "Snakeriver" to "Snakestream". I completely forgot to edit it, and will go back to earlier chapters to make the changes sooner than later! Thank you for your continued love, patience and support!


	12. Chapter 12

Three sunrises had come and gone since the formation of SaltClan. Twilightstar had travelled back to the Moonfly Cave and received her nine lives, a tradition she explained to her Clan in the hot, arid afternoon prior to her journey.

Now, Twilightstar was having another training session with the warriors. She allotted each afternoon at sun-high time to further review the Warrior Code, telling stories to explain their importance, and how each code came to be. Twilightstar was an exciting storyteller, and Greenkit occasionally listened in on the stories. Twilightstar didn't seem to mind.

But this afternoon, Greenkit was sulking among the milky scents of the nursery. Beachflower was chatting quietly with Coralclaw, the queen that Greenkit had offended before the first Gathering. In the end, only Beachflower had been able to put ease to the agitated queen's mind, who was very close to kitting. Beachflower spoke to her in soft, soothing mews, promising Coralclaw a life of safety for she and her kits. It took some time, but Coralclaw eventually made a nest in the nursery and took her Clan name.

Greenkit, since, had not been comfortable in the nursery. Coralclaw was still not accustomed to the close capacity of Clan life, and she hadn't she forgotten Greenkit's quick tongue during their first meeting. Coralclaw ignored her plainly, and not even Beachflower could bring her to acknowledge Greenkit, unless it was a warning hiss.

Beachflower had explained that it was most likely due to the fact that Coralclaw was so close to kitting, but it didn't make Greenkit any less irritated with the queen. Greenkit hadn't planned on spending very much time in the nursery to begin with, but now she actively avoided the brush bramble bush.

Greenkit was only sulking because Twilightfur had postponed her apprentice naming ceremony, all because Greenkit had called Reedtail a mouse-brained old coot. Though, in Greenkit's defense, nobody _else_ had called him out for bringing back a fish that had smelled too much of the dry, sun-high heat. Greenkit told Twilightstar this.

"What mistakes other cats may or may not make is no business of yours, Greenkit." Twilightstar had mewed, clearly agitated. There was a sure-fire wall burning in her icy blue eyes. "Mouthing off to anyone in this Clan – whether it be kits, apprentices, warriors, or anyone else – will _not_ be tolerated. Until you learn that, you can continue staying in the nursery. Maybe Beachflower will teach you some manners."

Greenkit had been absolutely shocked by the harshness in her leader's mew. Though, perhaps Greenkit shouldn't be. Greenkit knew herself to be a highly opinionated cat, one who often spoke out of turn. But did that really mean she wouldn't be able to become an apprentice? Did Twilightstar even hear the apprentices? Sharkpaw made fun of Greenkit all the time! Where was his punishment?

And so, Greenkit sulked, much to Coralclaw's disdain. Greenkit had been doing a lot of thinking this afternoon, and she had reached a conclusion she had been avoiding the past few days. The real thing that Greenkit was truly rotten about was the fact that Twilightstar had taken on her own apprentice, Riverpaw, a creamy tom with gray-blue patches and light gray eyes that seemed to reach every corner of the growing camp.

In all honesty, Greenkit was hoping that Twilightstar would take her on as an apprentice. After all, she did show Twilightstar around the beach and the Dunes, introduced her to Pearlpelt and Waterpaw, and recruited cats for the first Gathering. She may only be a kit, but Greenkit knew she had helped her leader tremendously! And Twilightstar had seemed to like her company okay, regardless of her sharp tongue. But now that Twilightstar was a full-fledged leader, it seemed she didn't have any time for Greenkit.

And now she wasn't even going to give her an apprentice ceremony!

"Stop brooding, Greenkit." Beachflower mewed gently, turning away from Coralclaw. "You'll be apprenticed soon. Just you wait."

"I'm tired of waiting," Greenkit grumbled, pushing her muzzle under her paws. "I don't want to wait anymore! I've already waited!"

"Three sunrises!" Coralclaw snipped, wrapping her tail around her swollen belly. "A lifetime of waiting."

Greenkit bit her tongue. Usually, she'd snap back at the cranky queen. But Greenkit really did want to be apprenticed. And if holding her tongue would get her there, then so be it. There would always be time for retorts when she was an apprentice. Or, a warrior, Greenkit amended. That way only Twilightstar and Seaheart could boss her around!

Maybe, someday, she could even become Clan leader, she dreamed. Then _nobody_ could boss her around. She'd never make kits wait to be apprenticed, not for a few jabs here and there!

When Greenkit got tired of Coralclaw's remarks, and Greenkit could no longer hold her tongue, she slid through the narrow nursery entrance. The bramble bush had been heavily worked on by the apprentices: at the direction of Pearlpelt, sea rosemary had been woven into the branches, explaining briefly that rosemary numerous health benefits; the smell was even soothing and calming to queens and kits. The inside of the bramble was lined with silverleaf, a very soft plant that grew behind the Dunes and didn't dry out very quickly. In addition, many vines from coast plants had been woven into the bramble, reinforcing it and blocking out the mid-day heat.

That made exiting the nursery a very bright, humid shock during the heat of sun-high. Greenkit arched her back, stretching her spine, yawning. Being lazy made her tired. She saw the warriors still crowded around Twilightstar, but Greenkit didn't feel like listening to her stories. And I can't even leave the stupid camp! She thought to herself, irritated. She spent the entirety of her life, sans the past four sunrises, with free reign. Well, as free as it could be, avoiding other cats at all costs. But now she was confined to a hollow!

She lay down outside the nursery, resting her chin on her front paws. What would she do now?

As if answered by the warrior ancestors Twilightstar spoke so highly of, a white she-cat with stripes of all sorts of yellows padded on light paws from the apprentice's den, across the camp. Greenkit's ears perked. Sunpaw!

Greenkit had met Sunpaw by accident the sunrise following the pretty she-cat's naming. Right after the last cats had been named, Greenkit had been very excited to meet the warriors and apprentices of her new Clan. Especially the apprentices, the cats that would be training with her! As the cluster of cats dispersed from the bottom of the high-ledge at the dismissive flick of Twilightstar's tail, Greenkit followed the apprentices to their new den, her tail held high with excitement.

And was she ever disappointed. Sharkpaw, a gray and white striped tabby tom with strange yellow-green eyes, and Tidepaw, a dark tabby tom with large black stripes and even stranger orange eyes, were not very welcoming.

"You still have kit-fur!" Sharkpaw exclaimed when Greenkit had introduced herself, trying to resist the urge to bounce from excitement. "You can't lay with us, you're still a kit!"

"For your information, minx-breath," Greenkit bristled, quite offended by Sharkpaw's proclamation. "I'll be an apprentice in just a few sunrises! And I'll be stronger than you, too!"

These were brave words, Greenkit knew, because Sharkpaw was much larger than she was. He had no kit-fur.

Tidepaw lifted his head from the nest he had already settled into. "That'll be a fight I'd like to see. Or, not see. I wouldn't care to see a kit injured."

Greenkit was fuming. "My cat-fur is late blooming," Greenkit admitted carefully. "But at least it will come! You'll never be able to grow a brain!"

Sharkpaw wasn't the least bit offended. In fact, it seemed to be quite the opposite. Was he _laughing_ at her?

Greenkit opened her mouth to lash out, her claws unsheathed. But before she could inhale a breath, she felt something soft curl around her mouth. Glancing down, she realized it was a tail. A slim yellow tail with a puffy white end. It tickled Greenkit's nose.

"We don't need to fight," came a soft mew from the owner of the tail. She stepped into Greenkit's field of vision. Sharkpaw and Tidepaw were silent. "We can get along."

Something about the she-cat's mew was something of a comfort. Greenkit very suddenly believed her. We can get along.

Greenkit couldn't remember seeing this cat receiving her apprentice name. She was wracking her brain for several silent moments before she remembered the young cat padding very quietly up to Twilightstar, bowing her head, and gracefully padding back to her place amidst the cats. Sunpaw!

With a better view, without many large warriors in front of her, Greenkit saw Sunpaw clearly. She was stunning. She was a little bigger than Greenkit, but something about her soft, delicate mew made her seem much older than Greenkit. She was a white and yellow tabby she-cat, the stripes of yellow impossible colors ranging from goldenrod to daisy to sand. Her eyes were bright yellow, but not glowing like Tidepaw's strange orange ones. Hers were soft, and promising, unassuming.

Greenkit had sputtered. "Yeah, yes, we can."

Tidepaw and Sharkpaw nodded, staring at her intensely with unmasked appetite.

Sunpaw blinked at her, and Greenkit scampered off to the nursery. Where had _she_ come from? Greenkit couldn't remember ever even glimpsing her around the beach. Perhaps she came from another part of the Clifflands? Or had she truly just never noticed the dainty she-cat before? Greenkit went to sleep with these thoughts swirling around her mind with the milky scent of Beachflower's kits.

Over the next few sunrises, Sunpaw and Greenkit had become friends. Very, very good friends. Sunpaw always seemed to be near at the most opportune times.

Was that what the Clan life was all about? She wondered, watching Sunpaw approach her. Greenkit purred. If the Clan life was all about friendship and family, she was content. More than content. She was happy.

"Sunpaw," Greenkit purred, standing up to meet her.

"You look terribly bored," Sunpaw mewed, soft as ever. She touched her nose to Greenkit. "You smell of warm milk and new life. Has Coralclaw kitted yet?"

"Not yet," Greenkit reported, sitting down in front of her. Sunpaw had that look again – the way she met your eyes as if you were the most important cat in the world, and she wouldn't rather be doing anything else but talk to you. It was difficult to remember that that was most likely not true. But either way, Greenkit intensly enjoyed Sunpaw's company. "Pearlpelt said she could any day, though."

"They'll be the first kits of SaltClan," Sunpaw purred softly, cocking her head to the side. "Plus, I'll bet that once the kits are born, you'll be apprenticed. The nursery will be too small for all of you."

That cheered Greenkit immensely. "I'll be moving to the apprentice den! With you!"

Greenkit ducked her eyes a bit. She hadn't meant to say that. That was an obvious fact, and now she seemed like an overeager kit, she silently scoffed. But Sunpaw only licked between Greenkit's ears and asked, "Do you want me to show you the fighting moves Shellstream has been working with me?"

Greenkit felt herself quiver with excitement. She didn't bother to try and hide her emotions this time around. Sunpaw obviously didn't care about her overeager habits. "Yes! Yes please!"

"We'll just have to fetch Shellstream first, and make sure she can take us out of the hollow…I don't like much the idea of practicing with so many cats around as obstacles, and I don't think they would like it much, either." Sunpaw was murmuring to herself, turning away mid-sentence to find Shellstream. Greenkit trotted to keep up. Sunpaw did that often, left thoughts unfinished, not quite meant for any particular cat. But Greenkit felt a sudden squeeze in her stomach, a tiny ball of dread wrapped in doubt.

Kits weren't allowed to leave the hollow.


	13. Chapter 13

Sulking again, Greenkit followed Sunpaw to the warrior's den. Twilightstar's stories had ended, and Greenkit saw Seaheart organizing the patrols outside of the leader's den. She couldn't see Twilightstar, and assumed she was probably with Pearlpelt. She shared tongues with the old cat often, and the old cat rarely left her den.

Shellstream, a gray-blue she-cat with a fluffy white chest, paws and tail, and pretty light-green eyes, was chatting with Stormrush, a young blue-and-cream tortoiseshell she-cat with equally pale green eyes. Their conversation seemed very animated. As Sunpaw approached her, Greenkit thought Shellstream might not even realize she was there.

But, Greenkit should have remembered that Sunpaw was Sunpaw. She was well liked by the Clan, and though she was a very quiet she-cat, most every-cat noticed her presence. Shellstream looked down with a purr. "Sunpaw."

"Shellstream, may Greenkit and I go practice battle moves in the scrubs?" Sunpaw asked evenly, calmly, certainly.

Shellstream glanced at Greenkit, who was still hanging a bit behind Sunpaw. She looked Greenkit up and down, as if assessing her. "Kits aren't suppose to leave the hollow without their mam," she reminded Sunpaw kindly. Greenkit felt herself begin to fluster…she didn't have a mam. Not anymore.

"Perhaps with a warrior? Could you come with us?" Sunpaw asked seamlessly, unabashed by Shellstream's tense realization. She smoothed over the awkward transition of the conversation easily.

Shellstream seemed to consider their request. She looked to Stormrush, who was waiting quietly, impatience in her pale eyes. She blinked. A solid 'no.'

"Twilightstar is out and about," Sunpaw put in. "We could go find her. And perhaps ask Pearlpelt if she needs any herbs stocked up?"

Shellstream brightened, purring again. "Of course! Just make sure you check in with Pearlpelt before you head out. And remember, it's high tide. Stay away from the beach!"

Sunpaw dipped her head, but held eye contact with Shellstream as she did with all cats she spoke to. "Thank you, Shellstream." she mewed. "We will."

Sunpaw was turning around with the thanks on her tongue. Shellstream called back to the pair quickly. "We'll join Frogleg later on for a fishing lesson with the other apprentices, Sunpaw!"

Sunpaw flicked her tail with an obedient acknowledgement as they trotted toward Pearlpelt's den. Greenkit couldn't believe her luck! She could leave the hollow! With Sunpaw, she purred loudly to herself. Her excitement started to tingle through her veins once more.

"Pearlpelt?" Sunpaw called softly outside the dark cliff den. Greenkit wondered why Waterpaw couldn't just fetch the herbs, before remembering that Waterpaw was away. She she-cat wouldn't be back for nearly a moon. Pearlpelt wouldn't – couldn't – leave the hollow to fetch her own herbs, so it was up to the other apprentices to pitch in.

No cat questioned Pearlpelt's resistance to leaving the hollow. Her imperfections seemed minor considering her skills as a medicine cat. She was most definitely invaluable to the clan.

Pearlpelt's silver muzzle appeared in the slight light cast over the den, the old cat remaining in the damp darkness of her cavern, curling her long tail around herself. "Yes?"

"We were wondering if you needed any herbs," Greenkit mewed quickly, her mews rushed and running together. She wanted to get out! She felt the excited zing in her paws. They tingled and ached with anticipation of seeing the water again.

"We're going out and thought we might check before leaving," Sunpaw added. _We_. Greenkit loved it when Sunpaw mewed that word. Greenkit had never felt more included in her entire lifetime than she had when she was with Sunpaw. Even when the Nighttime cats invited Greenkit to join their quest, she hadn't felt completely 'as one'; or even when they had properly named her…but with Sunpaw, Greenkit was pretty certain anything was possible.

"Watermint," Pearlpelt instructed, wasting no time. "You'll find it in or near the Saltmarsh. It's green and leafy, but what you need to fetch is the puffy purple flower. See if you can't find any leather fern while you're near the marshes. Looks like the fern we use for nesting, but is much thicker. And find nickernut! Don't bring it back; just be on a lookout. It's encapsuled in a very spikey green pod. The nuts are excellent treatment for worms, and the can be used to further reinforce the nursery. But don't bring any back yourselves. I don't want to waste any herbs on unnecessary pricks and pokes."

Greenkit stared, surprised. She definitely didn't waste any words, but Pearlpelt had left them with a full list of insturctions, and had turned back to her den the moment she finished listing. Sunpaw even seemed a little taken aback, but was as calm as always when she turned back to Greenkit and flicked her tail to the slightly exit from the hollow.

Greenkit couldn't wait for Sunpaw's casual trot, and bounded out of the camp in front of her, kicking up dirt as she went. She unsheathed her claws, making it easier to maneuver through the sandy Dunes. She was free!

She raced to the top of a dune, Sunpaw quick behind her. Greenkit scrambled up, so excited that she temporarily seemed to forget her coordination.

And there it was.

"Beautiful," Greenkit accidently mewed out loud, appreciating the striking way the sun cast white stripes on the cresting waves, yellow mingling with the still blue waters far at sea. She absorbed every inch that she could, missing the sound of the crashing waves on the wet sand, the heavy smell and taste of salt on her tongue. In that moment, Greenkit was certain she would never return to the nursery.

Sunpaw sat beside her, gently wrapping her tail around Greenkit. Sunpaw mewed nothing, allowing Greenkit to soak in the beauty of the salty water she missed so desperately, in mutual silence. Greenkit was not use to this. Usually, Greenkit was always talking. But she didn't feel the need to, right in this perfect moment, with Sunpaw sitting so close.

After some time, sun-high well and gone, Greenkit stood up to stretch her legs, the sandy tops of the Dunes spilling down. Greenkit arched her back, extending herself out and kneading the grainy sand. Sunpaw sat quietly.

"Will you show me those battle moves now, Sunpaw?" Greenkit asked softly, still vaguely unwilling to break the serenity. Sunpaw was staring out into the water, still, her eyes unblinking. She was quiet for just a few more moments before turning her head to Greenkit.

"Are you ready?" Sunpaw questioned. Not in the reproving tone that Greenkit had become accustomed to over the years. A simple question. Maybe the hint of a friendly challenge.

Before Greenkit could answer, Sunpaw had swiped her sheathed mitts under Greenkit's forepaws, causing her face to drop into the sand, a mouthful of grit her prize. Greenkit jumped up, but Sunpaw was already racing down the side of the Dunes, toward the brush and away. Greenkit scrambled down the side of the Dune after her.

The first thing Greenkit realized was that Sunpaw was _fast_. There was no way she was going to catch up to her. So, instead, she plopped herself down beside a bush, and sat, panting. It only took a moment for Sunpaw to realize she wasn't being followed and bounded back to Greenkit.

"Are you okay?" Sunpaw began, her beautiful yellow eyes wide. "Did I—"

But Greenkit swiped her small, sheathed paw to Sunpaw's legs. Sunpaw stumbled, but regained her footing with a playful growl. "You don't think you need any instructions?" she teased lightly.

Instead of answering, Greenkit leapt at her opponent. Her friend. Sunpaw easily dodged her, and Greenkit landed, once more, with her face in the dirt.

"Greenkit," Sunpaw teased contently. "You won't much get anywhere like that! Here, look at what Shellstream was teaching me. It's the forepaw slash."

For the rest of the remaining daylight, Greenkit and Sunpaw played with each other gaily. Greenkit thought Sunpaw might have been holding back a bit, but when Greenkit accused her, Sunpaw swore she was fighting with all of her might.

Greenkit decided to believe her, because something about Sunpaw's eyes told her that her friend didn't – and wouldn't – lie. Greenkit felt very content as the she-cats relaxed, their energy wearing thin.

"I think," Greenkit mewed, panting as she laid down on the hard brush ground. "I could lie here forever."

"Forever has to come now," Sunpaw answered, her chest heaving with effort as well. Greenkit noticed that Sunpaw sounded winded, but delicately so. Greenkit was quite sure that she, herself, was huffing like an angry raccoon. "We must fetch Pearlpelt's herbs, and see if Twilightstar is still out."

"That's such a long walk," Greenkit complained, coming back to her paws. "Can't we just tell Pearlpelt we couldn't find any?"

"No," Sunpaw answered simply, neither judgement nor criticism in her tone. "We can't."

"I see Sunpaw will be a good influence on you, Greenkit." A hidden voice announced from beside a saw palmetto bush not too far from the tired duo. Twilightstar stepped out of the shadow of the plant, her eyes crinkling with amusement.

Greenkit counted her lucky stars that Twilightstar was in a good mood. Had she not been, she probably would have been further rebuked for disobeying Pearlpelt, even if it were only a suggestion. Greenkit gulped, despite the leader's amused ambiance.

"What has she asked you to fetch?" Twilightstar asked, still no clear reprimand in her tone.

"We're to collect watermint and leather fern," Sunpaw answered, easily remembering. "We're to find nickernut as well, but she instructed us to leave it behind. She wants a warrior to collect it, I think. It's prickles must be dangerous."

Twilightstar nodded thoughtfully. "Did she mention what those herbs are used for?"

"No," Greenkit bravely answered this time. "She just told us where and what to look for, in the Saltmarsh."

Twilightstar sighed. "I still have a lot to learn of the Clifflands. You gave a very informative tour of the beach, Greenkit." She added, and Greenkit glowed with the praise, no long afraid of a scolding. "But it's important for me to know the lay of the land. Can you tell me what these herbs look like? I'd like to go collect them."

"By yourself?" Greenkit asked, surprised.

But Sunpaw quickly began listing what the herbs looked like and whereabouts to find them. Twilightstar thanked them, nodded, and turned to head to the Saltmarsh.

"But, why –" Greenkit began, but Sunpaw quieted her.

"Wait until we're back at camp," Sunpaw mewed in a whisper. She blinked at Greenkit and began to lead them back to the hollow.

Greenkit trotted ahead to walk in sync with Sunpaw. She wanted to walk across the beach, feel the waves crest upon her paws, between her claws. In all honesty, she had been looking forward to travelling to the Saltmarsh with Sunpaw, just a little bit. Greenkit had forgotten that they would have to eventually return when she was so exhausted, but now, as they headed back to the confinement of the camp, Greenkit wished she had kept her muzzle closed and joined Sunpaw to the Saltmarsh.

It was all lost now, Greenkit sighed to herself. She already felt a little unsettled, antsy again. She felt her fur begin to bristle.

"I can ask Shellstream if we can go out again tomorrow," Sunpaw promised, her tone soft and cool, soothing Greenkit like a patch of sunned sand in the shade.

Greenkit relaxed. "But why did Twilightstar want to go alone? Isn't it dangerous?" she asked, unable to wait until they got back to camp.

Sunpaw seemed to shrug as they walked along. "I expect she probably misses home. It can't be easy, leading a group of strange cats to follow ways foreign to their nature. She's probably worried about all sorrts of things right now, things we could only guess at."

Greenkit nodded understandably. She supposed so. It was definitely hard for Greenkit to follow the rules; be nice and respect all cats, stay in the hollow, sleep in the nursery with a rotten queen who had nothing nice to say to her. She was just getting to know her new family, but Twilightstar had left her family behind. She didn't even have her siblings. As a matter of fact, they were her rivals!

All of the sudden, a deeper understanding flooded over Greenkit. Poor Twilightstar!

Sunpaw must have sensed this, because as they approach the dune that hid the entrance of the camp, she mewed, "Don't pity her, though, Greenkit. Just don't make anything extra difficult for her."

Sunpaw hadn't said this in a patronizing way, or in any way to make Greenkit feel badly, but Greenkit still felt a little bit of guilt, a tiny seed budding in her chest. "Okay," Greenkit sighed anyway. "But you'll try and take me out tomorrow?"

"I promise," Sunpaw purred. "And before you know it, you'll be able to come fishing with us, too."

Greenkit perked at this as they entered the camp. Greenkit held onto the promise of a new tomorrow tightly, bidding goodbye to Sunpaw as the pretty yellow-and-white striped she-cat raced off to meet the fishing group that had already left. Greenkit held onto Sunpaw's promise tightly as well.

Soon, she promised herself. I'll be Greenpaw soon.


	14. Chapter 14

Two sunrises later, Coralclaw gave birth to her kits.

What should have been a very exciting event for the clan turned out to be a rather desolate one. Pearlpelt had ordered Greenkit out of the nursery when Coralclaw began kitting. Even though the she-cat was rotten with her, Greenkit couldn't help but be curious enough to dawdle outside the entrance.

What had begun quickly had ended just as quickly. Greenkit could hear the wailing even through the muffled nursery walls. The wailing of a she-cat undergoing horrendous pain. Pain beyond kitting.

Hearing the wails, Greenkit had darted closer to the nursery entrance. Pearlpelt was still in there, but was very quiet. Coralclaw's cries were heartbreaking. "I'm sorry, Coralclaw." Pearlpelt mewed quietly. "They didn't make it."

Greenkit felt an icy shiver rack through her body. The kits didn't make it? But how? Coralclaw was a young, healthy, fierce cat. What had gone wrong?

"You have a tomcat to care for, Coralclaw." Pearlpelt murmured. "Come, young one. You can do it. He needs his mam."

Coralclaw's wails resided to whimpers. Greenkit heard heavy breathing, and a quick inhale; from Pearlpelt or Coralclaw, Greenkit couldn't tell.

"Lick him, Coralclaw." Pearlpelt instructed, her mew gentle but firm. "He may make it yet."

"So small," Coralclaw whispered through gentle licks. "So little."

Greenkit jumped back as Pearlpelt poked her head out of the nursery entrance. "Shoo, Greenkit." The old medicine cat ordered. "Fetch Beachflower. I need herbs, and Coralclaw needs a warm body."

Greenkit scampered back, nodding frantically at Pearlpelt's serious intonation. She was use to the old she-cat speaking frankly, but there was something more foreboding in her instructions now. Something dark. Something obscure. Something that sounded of death.

Greenkit knew exactly where Beachflower was, because Greenkit was technically supposed to be with her. Twilightstar, who had been so kind and understanding the day Sunpaw had taken Greenkit out, was now back to her moody irritation. She reminded Greenkit that she was a kit and had refused to let Sunpaw take her out to play the past couple sunrises. Greenkit mumbled and grumbled, but that had just irritated Twilightstar even further. She instructed that Greenkit keep to Beachflower like a kit keeps to their mam. Greenkit found Beachflower to be a very kind she-cat, quiet and subdued and always kind and understanding, but Greenkit was unimpressed with her new punishment.

And so, Greenkit bounded over to the back-edge of the camp, where the ground was still rather sandy, and comfortable to lie upon in the mid-day sun. Beachflower was basking in the restful heat while Bluekit and Rosekit wobbled around on shakey legs. The kits had grown expotentially, and Greenkit could no longer carry either or in her mouth – she knew, because she had tried. Now that they had open eyes and legs just strong enough to balance on, the two kits regularly wandered around the nursery aimlessly – sometimes right into Greenkit's nest.

She didn't mind, though, really. Except when she was trying to sleep. Greenkit could still drag little Bluekit around with her, if she had to, but Rosekit was definitely too large for Greenkit to lift off and away. Greenkit still liked to secretely press her nose into their soft, soft kitten fur when Beachflower and Coralclaw had their heads turned, or were dozing off. They smelled of milk and possibility.

Greenkit especially liked little Bluekit. He was as quiet and subdued as his mam, even though he looked nothing like her. A slight young thing, Greenkit liked helping him stand and balance with her nose. She was usually rewarded by an attempt of a purr.

She watched them for a moment now, Bluekit tottering closely at his mam's side, ever so guarded in case of a fall. Rosekit, though, was a bit more adventurous, venturing out of her mam's paw range. Beachflower gently brought Rosekit back in range with a long, sandy-colored tail.

"Has Coralclaw had her kits already?" Beachflower asked, surprised to see Greenkit already. "May we return?"

Greenkit nodded, dropping her eyes to the sand-covered floor. "She has, Beachflower. But I don't think it went well."

Beachflower nodded understandably. Greenkit looked up to see sadness in the she-cat's green eyes. Beachflower rose to her paws, nudging Bluekit toward the nursery with her nose.

"I can watch them," Greenkit mewed suddenly, surprising even herself. "If you want. Pearlpelt just needs to fetch herbs and asked you to watch over Coralclaw while she did."

Greenkit saw the worried flash in Beachflower's eyes. Greenkit suddenly felt very hot, embarrassment trickling all over her body. "Or I can help you get the kits to the nursery. Whatever you wish, Beachflower." She mewed hastily, abashed.

Beachflower nodded again, slowly this time. "They're just still too young to be out of my sight for too long, Greenkit," she mewed, as gentle as always. "It has nothing to do with you."

Greenkit tried very hard to believe her for approximately three seconds as they herded the kits to the nursery. But perhaps it really did have to do with her. Was her recklessness causing cats not to trust her? Did they not want her here?

Greenkit felt a sudden wave of dread. And Twilightstar was so disappointed in her! Greenkit had been invited on a very important quest, and look at how she'd gone about it – she called Reedtail a mouse-brained old coot, offended Coralclaw to the point where she resisted joining the clan, gotten Sunpaw in trouble for being late to come back for her fishing lesson…Greenkit felt a flicker of a feeling she didn't feel very often: a small token of guilt, swelling in her throat.

Nosing Bluekit along to the nursery, Greenkit began to sulk. Perhaps she _would_ have to change her behavior. She would have to work really hard to make up for her disrespect, and her tendency to ignore the rules. She really did want to be the best warrior the clans would ever see. She just didn't know where to begin.

They were close to the nursery when a dark, dark head emerged from its entrance. It carried a tired face; one Greenkit was scarce to see. Twilightstar looked exhausted. "Greenkit," she mewed sharply, exiting the nursery and heading toward her den without a backwards glance. She flicked her tail, calling a nervous Greenkit to follow.

 _Oh, great_ , Greenkit thought to herself, following behind glumly. _What did I do now?_

Twilightstar was silent as she made her way through the hollow. The nursery was relatively close to her den; it took only a couple of fox-lengths. Greenkit felt the eyes of cats following her, and she kept her head down.

Twilightstar flicked her tail toward her den and entered, motioning for Greenkit to follow. She had never been in Twilightstar's den before. It was fairly cool, a spacious indent in the cliffside with feathers nested in a rounded corner. Greenkit stifled a small laugh when she noticed a few pretty shells and round, smooth, vibrant stones lined against the other hollow. So Twilightstar liked pretty things, too!

Twilightstar laid down in the very back, her paws tucked under her. There was plenty room for Greenkit to sit in front of her, bowing low, but not quite laying herself down. She felt her tail whip with nerves.

"Coralclaw has lost three of her kits," Twilightstar began, her mew heavy. "She is very distressed, and has asked that you were moved out of the nursery."

Greenkit had to bite her tongue very hard in order to stop herself from getting defensive and saying some not very nice things about Coralclaw; like the fact that the queen never once acknowledged her, unless it was to hiss or nip, or the fact that she snored loud enough to scare every inch of prey away. But she bit her tongue and dropped her eyes to the sandy den floor.

"Why, I do not care. Nor am I surprised." The hint of amusement Greenkit was use to hearing was absent from her leader's mew. Greenkit's skin prickled uncomfortably under Twilightstar's burning gaze. Why was she being so gruff? Had she forgotten the fact that Greenkit showed her all around the Clifflands?

Well, Greenkit amended grudgingly. Waterpaw had actually shown her around most of it. But Greenkit was there! And showed her the beach!

"It's time you've been made an apprentice, despite your stubborn tongue. I need somebody to keep an eye on you." Twilightstar finished with an exhausted sigh. Greenkit glanced up. The leader's fur looked dull, her icy blue eyes, usually so bright and curious and encouraging, seemed empty. _Was Twilightstar sick?_ Greenkit suddenly thought, alarmed. She couldn't be sick! They only just formed the clan! What would happen if she died and went to StarClan? Who would lead them? Seaheart was the deputy, but he didn't know anything about leading a Clan yet! Nobody did, Twilightstar had hardly been with them a quarter-moon!

Greenkit continued to fret, thoughts whirling, until Twilightstar broke the tense silence. "It's time you've been made an apprentice," Twilightstar repeated, searching Greenkit for confirmation that the kit heard. It was then Greenkit finally – and slowly – processed what the she-cat was saying.

"My apprentice ceremony will be today?" Greenkit gasped, suddenly straightening up. "Today?"

"Now," Twilightstar mewed, observing the Greenkit with dulled eyes. "Seaheart has been aware he'll be made your mentor for some time. He's been instructed to give me careful updates regarding your training. This doesn't excuse any bad behavior," Twilightstar warned her. "Your punishment as an apprentice for any rulebreaking or disrespect will be more severe, in accordance to your apprenticeship. Do you feel you are ready, Greenkit? Ready to learn how to become one with SaltClan?"

Greenkit felt shame prickle her pelt. Did Twilightstar really have that little faith in her? Was she really that concerned? Excitement slowly began to deflate. She leveled her mew before making a promise she would work very hard to keep. "I will, Twilightstar. I won't let you down."

Twilightstar nodded, standing to her paws. She flicked her tail and directed Greenkit out of her den. "And I will hold you to it."

As Greenkit followed Twilightstar outside her den, watching the clan leader's lean, muscular shape leap up to the Highledge, the excitement slowly came bubbling back. It was finally time! Her apprentice ceremony!

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the Highledge for a clan meeting." Twilightstar yowled, gathering her tail around her paws, sitting down on the gray, rocky ledge.

It was just past sun-high, and the clan was bubbling with motion. The sun-high patrol, Hollowclaw, Sharkpaw, Sandflame and Reedtail had just returned, and were on their way to the fresh-kill pile when Twilightstar summoned them. Greenkit watched Beachflower squeeze out of the nursery, alone, padding quietly over to the growing half-circle of cats. Greenkit spied Sunpaw leaving the apprentice den with Riverpaw, the gray patched tabby tom mewing animatedly. Greenkit felt a tiny stab of jealousy, before remembering she would be joining them soon – as equals. Plus, she'd be able to play with Sunpaw whenever, now! So much more freedom! She could taste it.

"By naming apprentices, we show that Saltclan will survive and remain strong," Twilightstar began, wasting now words of welcome. "Greenkit, you are well past the age of six moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed. From this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Greenpaw."

Twilightstar paused for a moment. "Your mentor will be Seaheart. I hope Seaheart will pass all he knows on to you."

Greenkit felt the familiar excited prickle overcome her body. She bumbled up closer to the bottom of the ledge, tripping over her paws. Her green eyes sought out the blue-gray ones of Seaheart. She found him quickly, his sandy coat and white chest gleaming in the sun-high brightness. His old eyes were twinkling with a young laughter. He nodded slightly to her.

"Seaheart, you are ready to take on an apprentice. The short time I have known you has shown you to be a committed and earnest cat. You will be the mentor of Greenpaw, and I expect you to pass on all you know, and will learn, to Greenpaw."

Seaheart approached the bottom of the highledge when Greenpaw stood, rooted in place. He padded over comfortably, and touched noses with Greenpaw gently. Greenpaw bowed her head to him, more out of excitement than respect. But a mixture of both, at the very least, Greenpaw would later conclude, while laying in her new nest of fern and feather in the apprentice den, so near Sunpaw that she could feel the she-cat's pelt lower and raise with her level breathing.

But in this moment, Greenpaw could hardly contain herself. "What shall we do first, Seaheart?" she asked Seaheart, hopefully sounding as earnest as Twilightstar had labeled the deputy. "Hunting? A patrol? Fighting techniques?"

There were a few guffaws of laughter from the small crowd of cats that Greenpaw had completely forgotten were there. Every cat in the Clan had heard her. Twilightstar hadn't even closed the meeting.

But then she did, and Greenpaw couldn't contain herself. "Well, Seaheart? Fishing maybe? Or maybe –"

"Aye, lass, calm down." Seaheart mewed, his full voice booming but appeasing. "I'll be expected to organize a hunting patrol for ye soon, and then we shall explore the territory, before sun-down."

"But I already know –" Greenpaw began to protest, but suddenly Twilightstar was next to her. Greenpaw couldn't help but jump a bit at her reprimanding mew.

"Do not argue, Greenpaw." Twilightstar scolded. "You are no longer a kit. The time to learn to appreciate and respect your elders has run out. What a warrior says goes. No argument. Do you understand?"

Greenpaw bowed her head, the feeling of shame that was becoming all to familiar burning. "Yes, Twilightstar." She mumbled in return. "I understand."

Twilightstar said no more as she turned around and slipped out of the narrow hollow entrance. Greenkit couldn't mee thte eyes of Seaheart.

"She be right, lass." Seaheart mewed, but there was a reassuring edge to his tone. "But I hope you shan't take her plainness resentfully. Ye leader misses her old Clan, I expect, young 'un. She be learning how to lead in a strange, strange land. I hope ye give her a break. Stressful, it be."

Greenpaw nodded, peeking up to her new mentor. His gray-blue eyes shone kindly at her. "Okay. But can we go soon?" Greenpaw asked before she could stop herself. Quickly, as an afterthought, she added "Sir."

His long sandy hair shook with laughter. "Sir, I am not, lass. Ye be thinking of my father. Yes, young 'un, we shan't waste time. Waste not, want not. I'll organize a patrol, and we shall be quick on our way."

Greenpaw nodded happily, sedated by his understanding mews. Seaheart, the deputy! Greenpaw felt old traces of her strong senses of adventure tingle in her paws. Unable to contain it in her small body, after Seaheart turned to organize a patrol, Greenpaw bounded over to Sunpaw, who seemed to be waiting for her, sitting comfortably in the sun outside of the apprentice den.

"Congratulations, Greenpaw." Sunpaw purred, rubbing her head on Greenpaw's with obvious pleasure. "You'll be training with me, now."

Greenpaw purred as well, overjoyed with excitement at the prospect. For once, she didn't have anything to say. Both she-cat's laid down and began to share tongues, while Greenpaw awaited Seaheart's beckon for the tour of the territory. Greenpaw, so hideously excited before, was now content waiting, Sunpaw's pelt warming her immensely, a different kind of warmth than the sun provided.

It was finally time. Finally, finally time.

 **I would love to hear feedback about what you think, so far! Any tips or comments on the characters, plot, writing technique/style...any feedback would be appreciated. I'm getting better at accepting creative criticism, and would love to improve the story! :)**


	15. Chapter 15

Four sunrises had come and gone since Greenpaw's apprentice ceremony. And did she have her work cut out for her. With Seaheart's obvious late age, Greenpaw had admittedly been a little wary in the beginning of their training. But Seaheart was large, strong, and nimble– not a popular trio of skills. From what Greenpaw had observed, the big and strong cats were not always the most agile, or graceful. Seaheart was the exception.

And even in his age, Seaheart was all three and more. Greenpaw could see why Twilightstar had picked him as the Clan deputy so early and so certainly. And she also understood why she was given to Seaheart as an apprentice.

Seaheart had all but exhausted Greenpaw's argumentative traits. Or, perhaps, was channeling them into her training. Whenever Greenpaw would argue against a point that Seaheart made, Seaheart allowed her to make her case. And he would promptly prove Greenpaw wrong.

At first, this had frustrated Greenpaw. But now, she was growing to accept, even _enjoy_ Seaheart's methods of training. She had learned so much in the four short days she had been an apprentice that Greenpaw often went to sleep without any of the restlessness she became accustomed to, sleeping in the nursery. Seaheart was exhausting her, period. Every night, Greenpaw laid down next to Sunpaw in the apprentice's den and fell into a deep slumber the moment her eyes closed; between training with Seaheart, nesting so near Sunpaw, and feeling the soothing rise and fall of her yellow-striped flank, Greenpaw slept like a little kit.

But now was not the time to sleep. Seaheart had taken Greenpaw out to one of the sandy islands in the Saltmarsh. The island had been growing use to battle practice for mentors and apprentices. Most of the soft sand had been pushed to the side by numerous cats' leaping paws and rolling bodies, revealing the dark, hard-pressed sand beneath. It was very soft cushioning, but easy for sheathed paws to grip.

It also taught the cats how to battle in a confined or restricted area. Unless you wanted to end up in the marsh, of course. Greenpaw had just learned this the hard way.

She and Seaheart were facing each other, backs arched in a battle position, slowly circling the island. Greenpaw tried to gaze into Seaheart's focused gray eyes with controlled ferocity. The first thing Seaheart had taught her was to not give anything away with her eyes.

"A wise cat may gaze into ye battle eyes an' view all yer intentions in a blink," he advised. "Ye must learn to hide it from him with carefully guarded thought."

At first, it hadn't made much sense to Greenpaw. Seaheart often said things in his old Clifflands' tongue that didn't make sense to her at first, until she could afford to take time to sit and think on it. That was also a quick lesson he had taught Greenpaw, the first day he had taken her out as an apprentice.

"What ye don't understand, ye sit an' think on after a good, fat shrimp. An empty belly be an empty mind."

Greenpaw hadn't even understood that until she did it exactly as so; dragging the fattest shrimp in the fresh-kill pile to her nest and enjoying it properly after a long day, then sitting and meditating on Seaheart's teachings. Standing still had been difficult at first, but a full belly helped keep Greenpaw's mind focused. Greenpaw found that she was much more thoughtful and patient when she had a full belly and her thoughts weren't laced with hunger.

So now, Greenpaw was doing as Seaheart had, in his own special way, taught her: she kept her eyes locked with his, unwilling to let wandering eyes warn him of a possible attack. They circled, circled, circled, and circled, until Greenpaw had formulated a plan without so much as a blink.

Very suddenly, Greenpaw lunged forward. Seaheart leapt back, on the edge of the island, but Greenpaw accommodated the gap between them by rearing on her hind paws, and planning to strike down with a hard blow to Seaheart's lowered head.

But instead of landing on Seaheart, Greenpaw found herself half-submerged in the Saltmarsh water, her front paws, chest, and chin all soaked with the warm water. She accidently swallowed a bit of salty water, surprised. She scrambled to get up, but Seaheart was already on her back, pinning her down and lunging at her exposed neck, hitting his nose square on the delicate neck flesh, acting as a killing bite.

"Grroff!" Greenpaw struggled, the full weight of Seaheart pushing her deeper into the water. She still did not want to give into the battle - but she went limp anyway, submitting herself to Seaheart. Had it been a real battle, she would nonetheless, be dead. And she hadn't even lasted more than a rabbit-shake.

Seaheart released her, and Greenpaw scrambled to her paws, shaking the heavy water from her fur and spitting out sand.

 _Why_ , she wondered with dark humor, _am I always eating salt?_

"Yer battle eyes were winners," Seaheart announced as she sat before him. Seaheart, completely untouched, sat with flat fur and an appreciative but amused look. "But ye accommodation of space was not."

"I know," Greenpaw grumbled. "This stupid island is too small!"

"And rabbits fly," Seaheart chided with laughter in his meow. "A cat worthy of battle adapts to her environment."

"Yeah, yeah." She muttered, licking salt from her chest. They were silent for a moment. Seaheart seemed to enjoy silent moments. Greenpaw, at first, tried to fill every quiet moment with chatter, until Seaheart told her that a full mouth is an empty mind. Greenpaw had asked him how that was, when he had just told her moments before that a curious mind speaks loudly.

He blinked, and told her to "sit on it."

Greenpaw still had no idea what he meant.

"Ye getting strong, lass." Seaheart praised. Greenpaw instantly stopped her grooming and met his eyes. He didn't give praise often, and when he did, she absorbed it like sea sponge. "And ye smartening up. Now, tell me. Who have you gotten yeself aquainted with?"

Greenpaw was surprised by the question, and apparently didn't mask her shock very well. "It's a simple question, lass." He pressed.

"Well," she began, uncertain. "I do like Sunpaw. Very much."

Seaheart nodded. "Any cat can see that, young one. An' who else?"

"Beachflower…" Greenpaw continued, her fur prickling uncomfortably. Which was true. Greenpaw often visited the nursery to see her and the kits. Coralclaw seemed to be over the shock of her lost kits, and while she guarded the lone survivor, Shrimpkit (for his crooked tail) fiercely, she no longer hissed at Greenpaw came by. Coralclaw merely ignored her entire existence. Which was progress, in Greenpaw's eyes.

Beachflower was always happy to see her, as were Rosekit and Bluekit. Both were padding around on shakey legs, Bluekit especially in his smaller size. His sister was much more adventurous than he was, still, making multiple attempts to wander out of the nursery. Bluekit simply stayed hear the nursery walls, near large sprigs of sea lavender. Greenpaw liked to come visit them when Sunpaw was out training and Greenpaw had a rare moment of freetime, and came to share tongues with Beachflower and tell her of her training. Beachflower always exclaimed surprise and purred appreciation at all the right parts, and Greenpaw felt proud to share with her.

"Sunpaw, Beachflower, an'?" Seaheart interrupted her train of thought. It took her only a moment of pondering to come up with her last answer.

"You?" Greenpaw answered with a questioning tone. Of course, she would have mentioned Twilightstar, but the leader seemed to drift away often. Some days, she'd leave the hollow and be gone from sun-high till sun-down. Whenever she got back, she always brought a trinket for the nursery, or the apprentice's den, or a pearl for Pearlpelt. She always came back in a much better mood that slowly waned with the sun the longer the days went by. Now it seemed every other sunrise the leader would disappear for some time. Riverpaw sometimes trained with Seaheart and Greenpaw on such days.

Seaheart let out a short mrrow of laughter, but Greenpaw hadn't intended it as a joke. Sunpaw, Beachflower and Seaheart. Were those really her only friends?

"Ye have an assignment, lass." Seaheart mewed when his laughter settled. "I knew this was the case, an' I've prepared a mission for ye."

Greenpaw's ears and mood perked instantly. "A mission?" she thought out loud, unable to keep her mew level. "What kind of mission?"

"Don't get yeself all worked up, now, young one." Seaheart warned. "Ye won't like this, I expect. Over the next quarter-moon, we'll be cutting down on ye training some. That'll leave ye time to get to know yer Clan."

Greenpaw froze, processing his instructions. Cutting down on training? So she could get to know cats she would be stuck with anyway, for the rest of her forseen life? Wasn't it enough that she was swearing her life to protect them? Now she actually had to get to know them?

"I see the disappointment in ye lass, it colors you quite certainly. Chin up. This be an important lesson, the most important ye will learn from me."

Greenpaw couldn't help but grumble, "I doubt it."

Seaheart, in his mysterious teaching methods, usually ended up right. But Greenpaw couldn't help but have dread over this new lesson she was supposed practise. How in the world could taking time from real training, to share tongues, help her as a warrior?

"But ye will do it," Seaheart confirmed. He had a way of making orders sound much happier than what they were…an order. "An' ye will make well with Coralclaw, too. Twilightstar requested that much."

Greenpaw obsiously didn't hide her disdain very well, because Seaheart repeated, "Ye will do it, lass. It'll be the best lesson ye will learn."

"I thought my battle eyes was the best lesson I'd learn," Greenpaw quipped defiantly.

Seaheart nodded his head. "Every lesson ye learn be the best, lass. Depends on when an' where ye are."

And that was the end of that. Seaheart and Greenpaw made their way back to camp in silence, the sun setting in the far ocean, painting the water with reds and oranges and yellow cresting waves. The moon was approaching it's halfway mark and shining brightly in the cloudless sky over the Clifflands, casting white gleams in the color-brushed sea.

When they slithered into the hollow, the camp was bustling. Warriors traded stories animatedly around the camp, and the apprentices were sniffing around the fresh-kill, waiting for permission to eat whilst sharing what they'd learned that bright sunny day. Greenpaw spotted Sunpaw sitting next to Riverpaw, away from the other apprentice's, near their den, sharing tongues. Greenpaw felt her heart sink – she'd been looking forward to sharing tongues with Sunpaw herself, wanting to brood on her new "mission" with Sunpaw's sympathetic and non-judging ears.

Instead, she turned toward the nursery. There were nickernut pods, dried brown with sharp spokes, laced throughout the reinforced bracken now. Twilightfur had found a good cluster fairly close to camp, deeper in the Dune scrubs. Greenpaw had seen why Pearlpelt had instructed warriors to collect them. Greenpaw and Sunpaw would have been too small to manage them without hurting themselves.

Greenpaw slid into the narrow nursery entrance. Beachflower looked up, Rosekit and Bluekit resting near their mam's warm belly. Beachflower purred as Greenpaw padded closer, the roof of the nursery tickling Greenpaw's head. The smell of sea lavender was stronger than usual: an apprentice must have woven fresh sprigs in. It was a comforting scent.

"Greenpaw," Beachflower purred. "Back so soon?"

Coralclaw turned her head away pointedly, licking Shrimpkit's small, fuzzy head as he fed. The milky scent wafted toward her, intermingling with the sea lavender. Greenpaw suddenly wondered why she had ever wanted to leave the nursery, with its comforting smells and Beachflower's soothing mews. The apprentice stuff was almost more than she bargained for. But at the same time, Greenpaw had promised her hardest work to Twilightstar, to Seaheart, and to her Clan. She wouldn't trade it, no matter how much she disliked select few of Seaheart's "lessons".

"Seaheart wants me to get to know other cats," Greenpaw began to complain, getting right to the heart of it. She settled near Beachflower, and the sandy brown dark-flecked queen licked Greenpaw between her ears. "And make amends." Greenkit added, glancing at Coralclaw. But the queen ignored her as steadily as usual.

"I don't get it, Beachflower." Greenpaw admitted, restsing her head on her paws. "Isn't it enough that I promise to fight with them? For them?"

Beachflower was silent, contemplating what Greenpaw had shared. She gave Rosekit's head a lick, and looked into Greenpaw's eyes. "Wouldn't you like to know who you're fighting for?"

Greenkit shrugged. "Maybe," she conceded, but uncertainly. "Maybe."


	16. Chapter 16

The past couple of sunrises, Greenpaw had been avoiding Seaheart and Twilightstar. Avoiding them had actually turned out to be a hard thing to do, for many reasons. Even though Twilightstar wasn't often in the camp, it seemed that when she was, the leader was keeping a special eye out for Greenpaw and her progress with her "mission." And the same went for Seaheart.

Greenpaw was beginning to feel another seed of guilty sprouting in her belly. Seaheart was a better mentor than she could have ever asked for, and here she was, pacing behind the nursery, out of sight and hopefully out of mind.

The time had come to apologize to Coralclaw. She'd made time to formally introduce herself to almost every cat in the Clan already, apprentice and warrior. Coralclaw was one of the few cats she had left. Greenpaw was putting it off by going over how her other conversations went.

Sharkpaw had probably been the worst. Greenpaw decidedly had not liked him from the first time he had teased her about being a kit, and her stiff introduction had not proved her distaste wrong.

"So the kit becomes an apprentice!" he meowed loudly as the moon rose in the sky. The sun was down, and the milky white wisps of the moon cast a light glow into the hollow. Sharkpaw and Tidepaw were sharing tongues outside of the apprentice den. Greenpaw had already chatted with Tidepaw, who she had her reservations about, but ended up liking okay. He was a very quiet and withdrawn cat, almost sullenly – but his eyes were watchful alongside his nearly muted tongue.

Tidepaw had eventually shared with her – probably just to shut Greenpaw's running mews up – about how he had lost his mam, too. It was Cliffland custom to send your kit out on their around around 6 or 7 moons, but Tidepaw visited his mam and sister very often, when they were alive. His sister, whom he was very close with, died of fever. His mam, shortly thereafter, died of shock. But not before giving birth to his two half-brothers.

"What happened to them?" Greenpaw mewed, shocked by the revelation. There were small hints of pain laced in Tidepaw's strange orange eyes.

"One of them died with my mam," he answered lowly, blinking the pain away. "But I still had the one left. I couldn't feed him. He was just a little sack of bloo and bones, his eyes unopened, his skin not even fluffy with kit-fur. I didn't know what to do. Then Beachflower found us."

"Beachflower?" Greenpaw gasped. "You knew Beachflower before the Clans came together?"

Tidepaw nodded. "It happened a short time ago. Bluekit is my half-brother."

Greenpaw was at a loss of words. Thoughts raced through her mind. So that's why Bluekit looked nothing like Beachflower, his blue-gray body so dark against her pale brown-flecked pelt. And how tiny he was! He wasn't hers!

While Greenpaw was trying to collect herself and formulate a decent reply, Sharkpaw had come lumbering into the apprentice's den on his large, slightly clumsy legs. There was a plump wren in his jaws, and the scent wafted toward Greenpaw's nostrils and made her mouth water. She hadn't eaten yet; Greenpaw was too engrossed in Tidepaw's story.

"Well don't you two look all cozy!" Sharkpaw had meowed loudly, plopping ungracefully into his nest, which was tucked into the far back of the small apprentice's den.

"Tidepaw has only been telling me the most amazing story," Greenpaw mewed hurridley. She did not stand for Sharkpaw's teasing very well. Maybe a sad story would shut him up. "Tell him, Tidepaw, tell him –"

"Yeah, Tidepaw." Sharkpaw mocked her. "Tell me! Tell me!"

But Tidepaw remained silent, dipping his head to them both before padding out of the den. Greenpaw watched him trot over to the fresh-kill pile, nosing around for his own dinner. Greenpaw felt herself deflate. She's met all the apprentices – now it was time for Sharkpaw, the big, burling brute.

"So the kit becomes an apprentice!"

Greenpaw quickly decided not to tell him about her "mission." Sharkpaw would never understand. Greenpaw hardly understood herself.

Sharkpaw attacked his dinner relentlessly, almost enough so to make Greenpaw's stomach curdle. Large muscles shone under his gray-and-white striped tabby pelt, rising and falling with his hacking breath between bites. Greenpaw racked her brain, trying to think of how to approach him.

Turns out, she didn't have to. "So, Greenkit." Sharkpaw taunted, looking up from his dinner, licking his muzzle with a teasing gleam in his yellow-green eyes. "I see you know Sunpaw pretty well."

Greenpaw was thrown off by this introduction. "Yeah, I do…" she answered, instantly suspicious. "So what about Sunpaw?"

"So what about Sunpaw, she mews." Sharkpaw mocked her, taking another bite from his wren. He had finished the bird in record time, Greenpaw noted. What a wolf. "What do you mean, what about Sunpaw? She's pretty hot; let's be honest, here."

Greenpaw was gobsmacked. Sunpaw? Hot? Excuse him? She was, again, at loss for words. A completely foreign state of mind for Greenpaw, but quickly growing. "I…I…you…you absolutely mink-breathed raccoon!"

Sharkpaw looked unimpressed. "What?" he asked, his great, big stupid face completely unabashed.

Greenpaw felt hot anger prickle over her skin. Her ears began to burn, and her fur bristled. She darted out of the apprentice den, loping around the camp, looking for Sunpaw. As if Sunpaw would be at all interested in him!

She finally spotted Sunpaw sharing tongues with her mentor, Shellstream, outside of the warrior's den. Greenpaw didn't process what an honor it was for Sunpaw to be invited onto the warrior's side of the camp, completely blinded by her fury.

Greenpaw skidded next to her friend, claws digging into the ground to hold herself down. She was panting, slightly, between the quick sprint over, her empty belly and the anger still burning through her veins. She was unable to get words out.

Shellstream instantly looked very alarmed, her hackles rising. "Greenpaw," she mewed quickly, guarded. "What is it?"

Sunpaw's sunny yellow eyes peered up to Greenpaw's shaken state, and Greenpaw could sense the unease wafting from her.

"It's –" Greenpaw coughed, the night air suddenly seeming smothering. "It's…Sharkpaw. Sunpaw, you don't like the great big ugly brute, do you?"

Sunpaw looked utterly confused, and Shellstorm bewildered. "Sharkpaw?"

"Sharkpaw." Greenpaw repeated, finally catching her breath. She dropped down to the lightly sanded ground beneath her without invitation. "Sharkpaw. You don't like him, right?"

Shellstream's hackles instantly dropped. "Oh, dear."

"Sharkpaw." Sunpaw's mew sounded doubtful. "What's all this about Sharkpaw? What should it matter what I think of him?"

Greenpaw was coming to realize exactly how crazy she must have just seemed. For one, her irate jealousy seemed very misplaced, at Sunpaw's objection. And secondly, Shellstream and Greenpaw had shared lovely words as Sunpaw's mentor shared about being separated from her sister, Stormrush, an exotic looking blue and cream tortoiseshell. They had been separated for so many seasons before being reunited in SaltClan that they had almost forgotten what each other looked like, smelled like. Coming to SaltClan reuinited the little family.

Now, Shellstream was gazing at Greenpaw with something of disbelief and amusemengt in her eyes. 'Oh, dear' was right.

So after embarrassing herself in front of Sunpaw, Shellstream, and Froglegs, a black-and-brown tabby tom with simple green eyes, and Sandflame, a striking ginger-and-brown tortoiseshell she-cat, who had both been inside the warrior's den at the time of Greenpaw's rapid approach, Greenpaw was still unsuccessful with getting to know Sharkpaw.

But she figured she would definitely have to get to know him sooner than later, anyway. The two were sharing sleeping quarters, and Greenpaw had seen Seaheart and Hollowclaw, Sharkpaw's mentor, sharing words more and more often now. She was more than likely to train with him sooner than later. She could make it up later.

And now, Greenpaw only had a few cats left on her list. She wanted to share tongues with Pearlpelt. She was really looking forward to this – an old cat she may be, but after training with Seaheart for the past sunrises, she was excited to sit down with the old cat and hear her story. She also had to hunt down Riverpaw, which she had been sulking about ever since she was assigned this mission.

She was hidesouly aware of the intense jealousy she felt regarding Twilightstar taking Riverpaw as an apprentice instead of her. While she was very happy with Seaheart as her mentor, and had been feeling a little let down by her leader's abrasive and growingly secretive and detached behavior, she was still hoping Twilightstar would remember the adventure they had had when the Nighttime cats first approached the island. But lo and behold, Greenpaw was sent to the nursery and Riverpaw got her as a mentor.

And last but not least, Greenpaw had Coralclaw to speak with. She did a quick calculation of unwillingness in her head, and decided to talk to Coralclaw first, Riverpaw next, and Pearlpelt last. She would save the most unappetizing conversation for first, and then have a buffer with Riverpaw before ending on a good note with Pearlpelt.

But now that she was here, hiding behind the nursery so she could chalk up the nerve to apologize to Coralclaw without Seaheart wondering why she hadn't already. It really was a drag, Greenpaw thought to herself, pitying her situation. Coralclaw was not going to be a quick fix.

Greenpaw jumped high, startled, as a flurry ball of sandy-colored and ginger fluff pummeled into her. "Greenpaw!" a high-pitched mew – more like a squeak – exclaimed.

Greenpaw settled as she realized it was only Rosekit. She was still a tiny young thing, her kitten fluff soft. She had recently found her vocals, well before her adoptive brother had. "Rosekit," Greenpaw purred, licking the kit between her ears a few times like Greenpaw's mam had to done to her so many times before her early passing. "Where's Beachflower?"

Rosekit opened her mouth to answer, but an anxious yowl answered Greenpaw's question. "Rosekit!" Beachflower exited the nursery in a hurry, her fur bristling. Bluekit followed behind carefully. He was still rather weak on his paws.

Rosekit huffed as Greenpaw called her mam over. Beachflower turned in a hurry behind the nursery and scolded her young daughter. "Rosekit," she scolded. "You know much better than to wander out of the nursery without me!"

"I could smell Greenpaw," Rosekit mewed proudly, sticking her fluffy chest out. "I only wanted to say hi, mam!"

Beachflower shook her head, exasperated. "You'll keep me young and give me gray fur, all at the same time, little one."

"But that _is_ an impressive nose!" Greenpaw added, licking Rosekit's head again as Rosekit's kit-blue eyes shone with pride. Greenpaw could relate to the young kit so well. "Even through the nursery bracken and all of the sea lavender?"

Rosekit wrinkled her nose. "The sea lavender is so annoying. I don't understand why Pearlpelt makes such a big stink about it."

"Rosekit," Beachflower scolded again. "Pearlpelt is your elder! _And_ your medicine cat. You should respect her!"

Greenpaw couldn't help but feel a hint of warm pride in her belly. Rosekit reminded Greenpaw so much of herself. She did some quick math, and suddenly sent a hope up to StarClan: perhaps she could become Rosekit's mentor, when the time came!

"And besides the smell, Coralclaw is an old grump. She never lets us near Shrimpkit, not even for a little sniff!" Rosekit complained, scrunching up her nose. Greenpaw was suddenly very happy Rosekit had gained use of her voice.

Beachflower sighed, shaking her head. "Come, Rosekit. We need to get some herb's for your brother's stomach ache."

Rosekit rolled her eyes, giving Greenpaw one more admiring stare. "You'll come see us soon, Greenpaw? And tell us more stories?"

"I will," Greenpaw promised, purring. "I'll tell you all about how I tackled Seaheart!"

The story would be amended, of course – it was actually Seaheart who tackled _her_. But what the kits didn't know wouldn't hurt them. She watched Rosekit bounce after her mam, shooting off a string of questions like Greenpaw had once done, only a short while ago. But Seaheart was fast curbing and channeling her curiosity in other, more productive directions. Greenpaw was much more relaxed than she used to be.

Greenpaw realized that with Beachflower and the kits gone, there would be a perfect opportunity to speak with Coralclaw. Her nostalgic mind was soon heavily laced with dread once more. She sighed. It was well past sun-high, but the sun still shined with a nice heat, a pleasant breeze sweeping through the hollow via the cracks of the Dune bushes that encased them. It was now or never, Greenpaw decided. Suck it up now, or forget about it forever.

Greenpaw sighed. She padded slowly to the entrance of the nursery, took a deep breath, and ducked into the dark, milky atmosphere of the nursery.

 **Whisker Sage: Thank you so much for all of your reviews! :) I already can't wait for Book 2 ;)**


	17. Chapter 17

Greenpaw tried to enter quietly, as to not disturb Coralclaw or her kit. But the nursery was small – sounds and smells alike echoed throughout the interior, quicker than fire.

"Beachflower isn't here," Coralclaw hissed, her fur bristling and ears flat against her head. Shrimpkit was tucked closely to her belly, resting quietly. Coralclaw wrapped her tail around him protectively.

"I know," Greenpaw mewed, settling herself just inside the entrance, as far away from Coralclaw as the nursery would allow. Greenpaw settled with her paws underneath her. "I was hoping you'd let me apologize to you."

Greenpaw had decided an outright apology for calling Coralclaw an old furball would probably be the best plan of attack. She could get to know her _after_ the she-cat didn't want to claw her ears out.

Coralclaw said nothing, nor did she relax her defensive position. But she wasn't hissing anymore, and Greenpaw thought that to be a good sign. "I insulted you when we first met. I was wrong. And I am sorry."

Greenpaw listed all that she worked out with Sunpaw. She hoped that would be enough. She worked hard, preparing her apology – short, sweet, and to the point. Even Sunpaw reassured Greenpaw that iher apology should be enough to make the grumpy she-cat listen, at the very least.

"Shrimpkit has fourteen brothers and sisters, you know." Coralclaw mewed suddenly. Greenpaw looked up into the queen's dark green eyes. They were rounded with grief, and the young she-cat suddenly looked much older. Exhausted. "Besides the three kits I lost with his litter."

Greenpaw nodded, unsure of where this was going. The sadness in Coralclaw's mew made Greenpaw very uncomfortable. Greenpaw flicked her tail uncertainly.

"All of them were stillborns. Shrimpkit is my only baby to survive." Coralclaw looked away, gazing at something unseen. "Eleven kits, born dead. I thought I was cursed. Cursed to bring death where life should have been. Six litters, it took me to be blessed with Shrimpkit. And many painful seasons."

Greenpaw could swear she felt her heart slow. The queen looked so unsettled, so pained. But she went on. "I never thought I'd know happiness. I felt doomed. I felt unworthy. I felt alone."

Greenpaw opened her mouth, but closed it again. She hid her muzzle beneath a paw. She could practically feel the guilt radiating from Coralclaw. Coralclaw swiveled her head, and met Greenpaw's eyes.

"And then Shrimpkit was born. By some grace out of my control, I was blessed with a living piece of me. And I can't help but to think it was this entity that Twilightstar shares about so often; I can't help but to feel rewarded by StarClan for my kit." Coralclaw stopped, but Greenpaw had no response. Coralclaw didn't seem to be looking for one. "It took me many painful seasons to accept that it wasn't my fault. I couldn't have done anything different to save my kits. It took me many, many seasons to come here, to feel acceptance, and realize that I'm not stupid. I'm not even old. And furball I may be, but I was good enough for StarClan to grant me my love."

Greenpaw had to fight her instinct to drop her eyes, and tried to match Coralclaw's steadily. All was silent, until Shrimpkit woke up, his little crooked tail wobbling feebly as he pawed his mam's belly. Coralclaw instantly dropped her eyes to her kit, and licked the top of his little head. And suddenly, Greenkit could see Coralclaw's fear and guilt replaced by a new emotion: love. Pure joy radiated from her, and she began to purr as Shrimpkit suckled.

Greenpaw lifted her head, and Coralclaw looked to her once more, the love and affection still there.

"He's a beautiful kit," Greenpaw mewed softly, meeting the queen's eyes. "With the best mam he could ask for."

Coralclaw blinked with recognition, and turned her attention back to her kit, mewing softly to him as he fed. Greenpaw stood up to her paws slowly, and slipped out of the nursery.

The sun was was low enough to be hidden by the Dunes, and the sea air was much cooler than it had been when she finally bucked up the courage to apologize to Coralclaw. Greenpaw was sniffing the air of the camp, the sea lavender of the nursery still strong enough to envelope her nostrils, when she realized Coralclaw had not actually formally accepted her apology. But she had accepted much more, and Greenpaw knew it was more than enough.

Greenpaw padded to the center of the camp, and took in her surroundings. The late day sun cast long shadows around the camp, but cats were still bustling about. Reedtail, the cat she had called a mouse-brained old coot, turned out to be not very mouse-brained at all – after sharing tongues with him, she realized that he had quiet, quick wit, not unlike Tidepaw. Right now, he was with Sharkpaw and Tidepaw, off to the side of the camp, showing them the correct way to arch their paws when watching fish in the Saltmarsh. She could see him dipping his paw shallowly into the air, mimicking the difficult flow of movement Greenpaw hadn't even begun to master yet.

Stormrush and Sandflame, both beautiful tortoiseshell cats, Stormrush blue-and-cream, and Sandflame ginger-and-brown, were sharing tongues outside the warrior's den, pelts shining in the last orange wisps of the sunset against the cliffside.

The fresh-kill pile seemed fairly full but abandoned, the pile actually a small hole dug in the corner of the camp, sheltered by a jutting side of the cliff, in-between Twilightstar's den and what should be the elder's den.

Greenpaw had not expected any cats that joined SaltClan to be elders. Not truly. Most cats of the Clifflands didn't make it to old age; sickness or hunger often overtook them. Pearlpelt had cared for many cats, but she could not force all of them to come to her, nor could she make it to them, for whatever reason she wouldn't leave her cave. Old cats sometimes couldn't make the journey, and when sickness befell them, hunger soon followed. Even if they weren't sick, older cats couldn't hunt for themselves past certain ages.

And so, there were very, very few cats old enough to be considered elders. Seaheart seemed close, but Greenpaw had never asked him how many moons he had. Sometimes, she thought he actually might be a young cat, his age appearing older due to his wisdom. At the same time, Greenpaw thought mostly that his high spirit just made him seem younger.

Greenpaw looked around for Seaheart, but couldn't spot him. He was probably out on a patrol – Hollowclaw and Frogleg were missing as well. She didn't see Riverpaw, or Twilightstar, and assumed she had taken him out to train. Greenpaw ignored the barb of jealousy that pierced her heart. She really did like training with Seaheart – she felt honored to have such a strong, mindful mentor, and was pleased with his unorthodox teaching methods. But she couldn't help but to feel so separated from Twilightstar, a cat she once felt something of kinship with. Greenpaw hardly saw the she-cat anymore, and that was a hole that couldn't be otherwise filled.

Sunpaw and Sunstream were both missing as well, either out on the patrol or, more likely, catching shrimp. Sunpaw had mentioned over shared tongues that Shellstream was taking her out to practice today. Greenpaw remembered wishing she could go, but she still had cats to get to know.

Like she did now. Riverpaw was nowhere to be seen, and so Greenpaw begrudgingly began to head over to Pearlpelt's den. She had truly wanted to save the best for last and end her day on a good note, rather than a sour one with Riverpaw.

A small voice in the back her mind whispered, _what if he turns out to be all right, too_? But, as determined to hate him as she was, she ignored the voice.

She was just at the entrance of Pearlpelt's deep, dark den when a blur of gray tabby pelt with darker gray patches whisked by her line of vision. Greenpaw's eyes narrowed. Riverpaw.

"Help!" the young tomcat yowled, his mew dripping with fear. Greenpaw whipped around, her mission and her distaste forgotten, to see the cat, who seemed strangely small, alone in the center of the camp with his fur bristling and tail lashing. "It's Twilightstar! She's caught in the Coralreefs!"

There was instant panic laced throughout the camp. Beachflower had been leading her kits back to the nursery, and now stood frozen a fox-length from the entrance. All the cats stood paralyzed and silent for a moment, until Reedtail yowled a painful beckoning, jumping from the apprentices, and darting out of the camp.

Sandflame and Stormrush sprang apart, looking at one another with fear, and followed Reedtail with their tails lashing.

Greenpaw stood, still stuck with fear, when Riverpaw moaned, "I warned her the tides were too intense! A riptide took her! Oh, Twilightstar!"

He began to scratch at the ground, arching his back in frustration. Greenpaw leapt up out of her uncertainty and fear and bounded over to him, skidding to a stop. "How far out is she?"

"I couldn't see her," he whispered, his blue eyes shining with pain and loss. "She was completely under! I couldn't get to her!"

"We have to go see if we can help, Riverpaw! Come on!" Greenpaw yowled out to the other apprentices. "Sharkpaw! Tidepaw! They need our help!"

Greenpaw turned to the entrance, but stopped as Pearlpelt called out, "Wait! You need herbs."

Greenpaw turned again, flustered, and darted to the medicine cat's den. "This is stinging nettle. Once she is out of the water, there will be plenty of water in her lungs and stomach. This will help expel it." She dropped a large leaf with pokey fronds to Greenpaw's paws. "This is hog plumb. After she is done vomiting, feed this to her. It'll stop the convulsions, relieve some pain and cleanse her body of infectants. That'll tide her over until you get her to me." She pushed a leaf wrapping some sort of pulp. "Hurry."

Greenpaw scooped up the plants with little care, turned, and followed the tails of the other apprentices down and around the cliffpath. She watched the pelts of cats only slightly larger than her jump into the waves, swimming around the jutting cliff that separated the Coralreef beach from the rest of their territory. The tide was high, and strong, but there was no time to stop and think.

Greenpaw jumped in the water, taking care to keep the herbs in her mouth above the lapping water. It was very hard to do, in all honesty. When swimming in the ocean, a cat learns to use the waves to their advantage whenever possible, ducking under them and allowing them to push you toward your destination. This time, the waves were against her, and the crest of a wave was growing closer as she pushed and kicked toward the beach on the other side of the cliff.

Finally, her paws touched the hundreds of thousands of pebbles that blanketed the Coralreef beach shore. Drenched in the heavy saltwater, Greenpaw fought gravity to propel herself as quickly as she could to the cluster of cats nearing something on the shore.

 _Oh, no._ Greenpaw thought to herself, stricken as she slowed her approach. _We were too late._

But as she neared, and shouldered Sharkpaw and Riverpaw out of the way, it wasn't Twilightstar she saw. At least, not clearly. A lithe, silvery shape, drenched in saltwater, much like Greenpaw, was emerging from the water, her neck low. Greenpaw looked around the large, muscular shoulder of Hollowclaw in front of her, and saw the cat pulling a dark lump up the shore with her.

It was Twilightstar. And she wasn't moving.

Greenpaw felt the fear and confusion she scented from the SaltClan cats surrounding her envelope her in a temporary paralysis. She couldn't move, nor did any of the cats around her. They all stood together, shocked, and the unfamiliar cat heaved and pulled Twilightstar out of the way of the cresting waves, a trail of disturbed sand following them before waves washed it away.

It was at that moment the cats seemed to regain movement, Greenpaw included. While they shuffled about wildly, unsure of whether or not to approach her, the silver she-cat that had pulled Twilightstar from the water stood before them, green eyes peering uncertainly, back and forth to the group of cats to their unconscious leader.

Greenpaw suddenly found herself, pushing forward through the cats with the damp herbs in her mouth. She rushed forward, bounding to her leaders side. She dropped the herbs and stared at the she-cat silently, trying to calm the hysterics threatening to erupt.

The silver she-cat dipped her head to the herbs, and looked back at Greenpaw. Shaking her head furiously to clear it, Greenpaw picked the nettle stick leaf between her teeth, and tried to transfer it to Twilightstar's slack mouth. _I don't know how to get her to swallow it,_ she thought wildly. _My ignorance is going to kill Twilightstar!_

"Twilightstar, no!" Greenpaw wailed, dropping close to the leader's head, pushing her nose against it hopelessly. "You can't leave me yet!"

At that moment, Twilightstar convulsed. Her shuddering body looked small, her short, black hair drenched. It looked even smaller as her body contracted, and a large stream of water sprouted from her open mouth. The she-cat's eyes were still closed, and her body shook one more time, a drizzle of water dripping down into the already wet sand, and her flank began to rise and fall with air.

She was alive.


	18. Chapter 18

As Greenpaw watched her leader's eyes flicker open, icy blue eyes blinking water away, Greenpaw could hardly believe the impossible. How could she have survived the riptide? No cat was strong enough once the tides had their way…

And it was at that moment that Greenpaw could have chewed her tail off in embarrassment – of course Twilightstar was okay.

Leader's got nine lives.

Twilightstar took a deep breath, slowly rolled off of her her side, and steadily pushed herself up on shakey legs. Greenpaw jumped to her own paws, temporarily forgetting about the myserious silver cat that had saved her leader. There were shocked murmors from the crowd of SaltClan cats behind them, but Greenpaw was hardly paying attention.

"Oh, Twilightstar." Greenpaw couldn't help but murmer, pushing her side to her leaders'. "I'm so glad you're okay."

"My first life," the she-cat rasped, suddenly sounding very old and weak. "Gone."

Greenpaw suddenly remembered the pulp she was supposed to give Twilightstar. She nosed the leaf open, exposing the stringy yellow flesh of some fruity substance. "Here, Twilightstar." She pushed it closer to her leader. "Pearlpelt told you so."

Twilightstar dropped her neck like it was very heavy, and licked up some of the pulp, chewing slowly. All was silent as Twilightstar raised her head and looked to the silver she-cat next to her, who was staring at the cat anxiously. "I thank you for my life." And in the same breath, asked. "Why were you on SaltClan territory?"

The silver cat looked taken aback, but Greenpaw suddenly realized how suspicious the situation was. A stranger she-cat risked her own life to save Twilightstar's? Greenpaw shook her clumpy fur as it began to bristle, sending small drops of water flying. Twilightstar repeated the question. "Why were you on SaltClan territory?"

The silver she-cat collected herself, sitting down and wrapping her tail around her forepaws, her green eyes cool. "I made a mistake." She announced simply.

 _Well, that was anti-climactic,_ Greenpaw thought to herself, feeling herself deflate.

"Well, your mistake has done well; you saved the rest of my lives. And that will forever be appreciated. But it is a mistake, nonetheless. You do not belong here." Twilightstar mewed firmly, despite the obvious struggle she had to speak properly. Greenpaw could only imagine how sore the leader's throat was. Saltwater, in small amounts, could be soothing, tasty, even. But having a cat's throat bombarded with roughly a large puddle of the water, as Twilightstar's had been… Greenpaw couldn't imagine it felt well.

"No, not that sort of mistake." The silver she-cat raised her head. "I followed the wrong leader. I belong in SaltClan."

Twilightstar had not mewed a single word as the Clan made their way back to camp. Reedtail and Frogleg each took to one of Twilightstar's flank to help her through the water and back to the other side of the cliff. Sandflame and Stormrush took each flank of the unnamed silver she-cat that saved Twilightstar as they silently waded on, and through the Dunes.

Hollowclaw fell behind with Greenpaw, at the back of the crowd – and Greenpaw didn't fool herself into thinking it was for the sake of her company. He watched over the trios with burning, suspicious amber eyes, his large, muscular body tense as if preparing for an attack. Greenpaw could clearly see the distrust in his hard gaze as he looked over the silver she-cat.

Greenpaw, of course, felt awfully suspicious as well. What if she was a spy? What if she was just testing the tension between SaltClan and the other cats, evaluating their weaknesses and strengths? Greenpaw was certain that most of the other cats, Twilightstar included, held the same suspicions.

But why should she save Twilightstar? If she were truly looking for Clan weaknesses, wouldn't a leaderless SaltClan be the sure-fire way to expose their vulnerabilities? SaltClan simply would not _be_ without Twilightstar. Greenpaw could feel a sense of comraderie among the cats, but without guidance and lessons from a true Clan cat, the glue that held the Clan together would melt away.

Maybe she rescued Twilightstar in order to prove some sort of loyalty and to gain trust. But that didn't settle well with Greenpaw. She was excited for the change of the tides within the Clan dynamic, but horribly apprehensive about the entire ordeal.

It didn't take them very long to make it back to camp, even with Twilightstar's greviously slow disposition. Reedtail and Frogleg helped her back sternly, leading the leader toward Pearlpelt's den with a certain determination. But Twilightstar shrugged them off as they approached Pearlpelt's den. The old she-cat was sticking her head out, sniffing the air as Twilightstar passed.

"Soon," Twilightstar rasped in passing to the medicine cat. She padded over to the Highledge painfully slow, and did not leap atop it. Instead, she huddled at the entrance of her den, her paws tucked under her, her tail wrapped around snuggly her body after beckoning the silver stranger over. Her guards stepped away from the she-cat and allowed her to follow Twiloghtstar's summon.

Hollowclaw suddenly whipped away from Greenpaw after following her through the hollow entrance, darting past Greenpaw in a blur of sandy fur, and skidded to a halt at Twilightstar's side. Greenpaw was too far away to hear whatever he murmured into Twilightstar's ear, his eyes still locked on the silver she-cat approaching them.

Greenpaw sped up to the trio restlessly, but was stopped by the raspy mew of Pealpelt. "Greenpaw, here."

Greenpaw stopped, looking between Pearlpelt and Twilightstar a few times, before groaning and turning back to Pearlpelt's den. Curse abiding the rules.

"What is it, Pearlpelt?" Greenpaw asked anxiously, kneading the ground as she looked over her shoulder. Twilightstar was nodding to Hollowclaw as the silver she-cat that saved her life sat down before her. Hollowclaw shouldered the stranger gruffly as he passed, and darted to Frogleg's side. He whispered something to the black and brown tabby tom, and Frogleg swiftly exited the camp, his powerful backlegs giving him an extra boost as he hefted out. Greenpaw wondered what he was doing.

"Greenpaw." Pearlpelt mewed loudly, breaking her concentration. Greenpaw looked back at Pearlpelt, perplexed. The old she-cat had obviously mewed something, looking at the apprentice expectantly, but Greenpaw missed it.

"Sorry, come again?" she mewed, trying with all her might to focus on the old she-cat.

Pearlpelt gazed at her, unimpressed. "Did Twilightstar eat her hog plumb."

It wasn't a question. "Yes." Greenpaw answered, abashed. She flattened her ears in embarrassment. "That she-cat saved her. Twilightstar lost a life."

Pearlpelt sighed and nodded, turning away. Greenpaw wondered what had crawled up her fur, but accepted her dismissal with a swivel and a bound over to the Highledge. Twilightstar was on her paws, yowling as loudly as her torn throat would allow her, "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the Highledge for a Clan meeting."

Twilightstar obviously didn't have much of her strength back, because she was still sitting below the Highledge herself. But the cats of SaltClan gathered regardless, creating a half-moon around her. Greenpaw tried to slink her way to the first row of cats, carefuly not to shoulder any of the damp cats surrounding her. Usually she wouldn't have cared, but she was feeling rather attached to these cats, at this moment in time. She didn't want to shoulder them.

Alas, she was successful, sitting between Sandflame and Reedtail. The silver stranger was sitting beside Twilightstar, and Hollowclaw was on her other side, where Seaheart should have been.

Seaheart, Greenpaw remembered. She hadn't thought of him, or Sunpaw, or Shellstream amidst the confusing excitement. Were they still out on a patrol?

As if answering her question, Reedtail led the three missing cats scrambling through the camp entrance. The thin brown tabby tom tripped over his own long tail, it seemed, and fell forward into the hollow with a stumble. Under normal circumstance, Greenpaw would have guffawed, but the serious intensity in Seaheart's eyes stopped her.

His gray-blue eyes shone with determination as he strode up to Twilightstar, his white chest puffed out and his tail held high. Hollowclaw dipped his head, and moved from Seaheart's place, instead padding to the other side of Twilightstar add effectively blocking the strange silver she-cat from leaving the hollow. Greenpaw turned to see Shellstream leading Sunpaw through the hollow, their chests rising and falling quickly as they caught their breath. It was clear the cats came very quickly from afar. Shellstream was almost completely out of breath, and Sunpaw was even breathing with her mouth open, her head dropping.

From very far, apparently.

Greenpaw wanted to slide out from the front of the group now, and catch Sunpaw up on what had happened, to make sure she was okay, but it was too late. Twilightstar began.

"There are many issues that need to be addressed. I lost a life at the Coralreefs. Riverpaw warned me of the tides, but I foolishly did not listen to my apprentice. And for that, I paid the ultimate price. One of my nine lives has gone to StarClan."

Greenpaw heard the familiar but distant gasp of Beachflower. Greenpaw realized that, aside from Seaheart, Shellstream and Sunpaw, and the medicine cat, the queens and kits were the only Clan cats not present at Twilighstar's rescue. And that is what Twilightstar addressed next.

"The camp was left completely unguarded. I applaud each and every once of you for your instinctive rescue effort. I appreciate each cat of SaltClan for that. But, with nobody left in the camp, it could have been attacked. Leaving the queens and kits with Pearlpelt, completely exposed…these are the cats we are sworn to protect. This cannot happen again. Please take heed to this. The rescue was a valiant effort, but needs to be corrected should anything outside the Clan hollow happen again."

There was a low murmuring as cats shifted uneasily. Greenpaw was one of them. She didn't even think of that! What if CliffClan, those rocky cave dwellers, hurt Beachflower, or stole Rosekit or Bluekit? The thought made her stomach churn. She didn't even wish Coralclaw harm, especially now that she understood the queen a bit better. How could she and her Clan have been so mouse-brained?

"The last order of business is regarding the she-cat who rescued me. I will allow her to speak to you, and then I shall hear your reactions, one at a time. Silverweb, if you please."

Greenpaw would have been hideously uncomfortable being placed before a group of foreign cats like that, and put on the spot. Greenpaw probably would have faked confidence pretty well, as she always did, but Greenpaw could sense no fakeness of Silverweb's fearlessness and boldness as she sat proudly before the Clan, her head held high. Her white chest sat as confident as Seaheart's. She was silent, meeting the eyes of each and every cat with her own green ones cooly, as if evaluating _them,_ instead of the other way around. Greenpaw's skin prickled uncomfortably as their green eyes met.

Finally, Silverweb began. Her mew was high-pitched but level, assured and bold. "Cats of SaltClan. At the first Gathering, I made a grave mistake that has costed me dearly. I heed you to listen to my words carefully before accepting or disregarding me."

"Get on with it," Hollowclaw growled. Greenpaw could see his unsheathed claws gripping the ground, and Greenpaw felt her heart speed up and pound against her chest. But if Silverweb took any notice to Hollowclaw's aggression, she didn't acknowledge it. She continued as if the tom hadn't spoke.

"After listening intently to Midnightstar's speech, I was mesmerized by his cool confidence. When it came time to disperse into our new Clans, my instant reaction was to follow his poise. I did so thoughtlessly, and as we led away from the beach, I thought nothing of it. But after spending almost a quarter-moon with RootClan, I've come to realize that I've made the worst decision I could have. I grew up on the beach, and made it my home since I was a young kit. I miss the waves, the sand, the Dunes. The seagulls, the shrimp…I miss the beach. I miss my home. And I implore you allow me to be a part of your Clan. I shall not let you down."

The SaltClan cats instantly broke out in chatter. Hollowclaw snorted, and tore at the ground with a large, unsheathed claw. Sandflame turned to Stormrush, who was sitting at her other side, and murmured, "I don't know about this." Stormrush mewed nothing, but nodded her head in uneasy agreement.

Greenpaw absolutely did not like Silverweb. She was much too confident. Greenpaw didn't even think that as possible, but the she-cat carried a sense of arrogance about herself that made it difficult to discern her genuinity. She carried the same sort of coolness that Midnightstar had, Greenpaw recalled, the same kind that Silverweb was referring to. But he was much quieter, much more observant. Maybe 'humble' was too strong of a word to describe their difference, because Midnightstar didn't seem like much of that, either. But there was something about Silverweb that just rubbed Greenpaw's fur the wrong way…

Twilightstar allowed the chattering to subside naturally until Hollowclaw spat, "I smell a spy. A spy who's seen the inside of our Clan."

Stormrush yowled in approval, but she was the only one to declare her support outright. But there was still a definite sense of unease. Twilightstar rasped, "What does the rest of the Clan believe? Shellstream?"

Shellstream had finally regained her breath. Greenpaw turned her head and saw Shellstream standing around the outside edge of the cats, Sunpaw sitting near her. Shellstream's light green eyes gazed overtop of the other cats, meeting Silverweb's eyes thoughtfully.

"I grew up on the beach as well. As unfriendly as we all were, I don't recall ever seeing Silverweb. Where did you make you nest?"

Silverweb still met her eyes evenly as she answered. "Near the Coralreefs." Silverweb paused, and her eyes flickered to Twilightstar. "Where I saved your leader, actually."

Hollowclaw snorted in contempt. He was very obviously not pleased with Silverweb's boldness. Greenpaw wondered where the obvious distaste for Silverweb had come from.

Twilightstar flicked her tail, and silenced the growing restlessness of the cats. "Seaheart?"

The old tom was sitting calmly, though very close to Twilightstar. Greenpaw could see unease in his eyes as well, though Greenpaw didn't think it was directed toward Silverweb. His eyes were for Twilightstar. Greenpaw assumed he was probably worried about his leader, having not been here, out on a patrol while she was endangered. But he still answered. "I shan't turn a lass away from her home." He mewed surely. "An' if she was able to pull ye from the tides, Twilightstar, I needn't doubt her beach roots."

Twilightstar nodded, and the Clan fell silent. She could hear the anticipation. Some sort of trial _this_ was, Greenpaw thought to herself. She was expecting something much more extravagant, something much more drawn out. But Twilightstar had already made up her mind.

"Silverweb is welcome to join us." She mewed, much to the shock and disdain of Hollowclaw. Sandflame kneaded the ground anxiously. "Under certain conditions."

Silverweb blinked. Twilightstar continued. "First, you shall not be allowed outside of the Clan without another warrior escort for the time of one moon, to make sure you do not change your mind. I shall make this very clear. Should you decide you have made another 'mistake' and wish to go back to RootClan, you will find escaping us very difficult. I do not take pity on traitors. I am apprehensive about your ability to leave RootClan so easily, and I wonder about how strong your Clan loyalty would be here.

"Though, as it may be, you are clearly a cat born of saltwater, and you have saved me. I also empathize with missing your true home. For these reasons, and these alone, you shall be invited to SaltClan. You shall not attend the next Gathering. That is the last condition. Do you accept these terms?"

Silverweb lifted her head higher, if that was possible. "I do."

"Then before the eyes of StarClan, I welcome you as a warrior to SaltClan. May StarClan light your path, and may you keep to the one laid out before you."

Silverweb dipped her head, and Twilightstar flicked her tail, dismissing the cats. They broke out in a fan, and Twilightstar limped up to her paws, Seaheart supporting her slow stride to Pearlpelt's den. Silverweb sat in place, Hollowclaw gazing at her in furious disbelief. Silverweb almost seemed to smile, her eyes gleaming.

Greenpaw was uneasy. Very, very uneasy.


	19. Chapter 19

It had been three sunrises since Twilightstar had lost her first life, and since Silverweb was welcomed into the Clan.

'Welcomed' was a polite way of putting Silverweb's addition to SaltClan. A lot of cats were standoffish towards her, and Hollowclaw's warnings of distrusting the stranger instilled a sense of fear into almost every cat. Even Seaheart, it seemed, had taken to keeping an eye on the previously RootClan she-cat. Greenpaw was a little more than disgruntled about this; Twilightstar seemed to put all the babysitting duty on her deputy.

This meant that Silverweb often accompanied Seaheart and Greenpaw whilst training. Shellstream and Sunpaw had taken to joining them as well, which made it not quite _as_ bad. Shellstream explained that she would like Sunpaw to get a varied training schedule; Seaheart praised Shellstream for this, and received the duo completely. While Greenpaw was nothing but excited at the prospect of spending more time with Sunpaw, she questioned Shellstream's true motives. Greenpaw saw the way Shellstream looked at the deputy when she didn't think any-cat was paying attention.

This morning, Seaheart had woken Greenpaw bright and early for a dawn patrol with Silverweb, Shellstream, Reedtail and Sunpaw, to be followed by battle training. The group had just reached the Saltmarsh when Seaheart instructed the cats to hunt, in order to keep up their strength for battle training. "An empty belly is a busy mind, and a busy mind is no good for battling, lassies." He mewed wisely, speaking that jargon that sometimes took Greenpaw some sitting down and thinking about to understand.

And so they broke off into groups: Silverweb and Reedtail were to do some hunting on their way back to the Clan, to finish the patrol with a quick beach sweep; Sunpaw and Greenpaw were to hunt the Saltmarsh; and Shellstream and Seaheart doubling back to the dune scrub. Seaheart promised that they would return soon for battle training. He warned them that if they didn't catch anything, they'd be battling with not only tired paws, but empty bellies.

As they watched the warriors pad away into their respective groups, Shellstream mewing to Seaheart animatedly while Reedtail and Silverweb silently made their way to the beach shore, Greenpaw slumped down into the wet sand surrounding the edges of the Saltmarsh. "Oh, finally." ohe mewed, feigning exhaustion. "I thought they'd never leave!"

Sunpaw licked her on the top of Greenpaw's gray head. "To hunt, you minx."

Greenpaw rolled onto her back and swatted at Sunpaw's chest which sheathed paws. "Or so Shellstream can go moon over Seaheart in private!"

Sunpaw purred, laying down next to Greenpaw. "She does seem rather infatuated, doesn't she."

"Infatuated," Greenpaw snorted. "She follows him around like a kit! Great, strong Shellstream. Who would have known she'd be batty over our deputy!"

Sunpaw suddenly jumped up, and pounced on Greenpaw, pinning her down. "Hey!" Greenpaw exclaimed in surprise. "No fair!"

"Don't underestimate your enemy," Sunpaw quoted, still purring, licking the top of Greenpaw'd head again.

"Some enemy you are," Greenpaw purred back as Sunpaw let her up. Greenpaw shook clumps of sand from her pelt.

"Oh, ferocious I can be, Greenpaw," Sunpaw teased, bounding away into the Saltmarsh waters. She entered the water with her front paws forward and her head tipped down, her body following seamlessly, making only a few ripples in the deep water as she went under. Shellstream had taught the two how to dive yesterday. Sunpaw picked it up properly after her second or third try. When Greenpaw took her turn, she had picked a spot much too shallow and ended up with yet another mouthful of sand.

Greenpaw bounded after Sunpaw, not risking the dive. Greenpaw, with her luck, would fall in a tangled mess and disturb the tranquility of the Saltmarsh, and scare away all the prey. When Sunpaw emerged from the water on a shallow island, some fox-lengths away from where she had entered, she had a few killifish struggling in between her teeth. Sunpaw crunched down, and they were still.

Greenpaw swam over to join her, pulling herself onto the submerged island with ease. She loved the water, every bit of it. She just wasn't nearly as graceful as Sunpaw was.

As Greenpaw pulled herself to Sunpaw's level, Sunpaw stuck her head out, tipping her chin up, offering her a fish. Greenpaw shook her head. "You were lucky to find something that fast," Greenpaw mewed. "You can have them; I still have time!"

And with a few crunchy chews, Sunpaw had finished the little fish. She licked her yellow muzzle. "Bony as they may be, they are my favorite."

They continued into the Saltmarsh, wading through the paths of water grasses slowly and quietly. Greenpaw kept her ears pricked. She didn't much feel like fish this morning, and kept her ears out for something warm-blooded.

They continued in silence, Sunpaw occasionally wrapping her tail around Greenpaw's affectionately. Greenpaw decided that this was her favorite time. While she loved being in the middle of grand adventures, and being surrounded by interesting cats she was now sworn to protect, Greenpaw really enjoyed the quiet moments she got with her best friend, padding around the Saltmarsh, when conversation wasn't important. Greenpaw also decided that she wouldn't rather be doing it with any other cat than Sunpaw.

Eventually, after some quiet wading, Greenpaw froze. She heard a pitter patter of small feet on rock. Sunpaw was stopped next to her, completely immobile. Greenpaw sniffed the air. _Water vole._

She swiveled her head to the left. There was a flat stone surrounded by some tall water grasses, and Greenpaw could just barely see the plump little body through the reeds. He was chewing on a thick flower stem. Greenpaw approached slowly, oh so slowly, as to not disturb the water around any more than it needed to be. No warning; nothing suspicious…

She circled the stone slowly, until a break in the water grass gave Greenpaw a clear view and a line of attack. He was even larger than she thought the vole was, a fat little thing, sitting precariously on the stone edge opposite of Greenpaw. But he wasn't facing her, and had no view of her stealthy approach from behind.

Greenpaw padded carefully up to the edge of the stone. She could pounce from the edge with her back-paws in the water, but Seaheart told her that if she could avoid attacking while any body part was in the water, she should. Otherwise the prey would have that much more warning to dart out of the way. And water voles were tricky little things; they ate close to the edge of something, like the stone island, close to the water in order to make a quick escape if needed.

Greenpaw slowly lifted one paw out of the water at a time, and put all of her weight on her hunches. She leaned forward into her hunter crouch, shifted her weight a few more times, and pounced.

Greenpaw swept the vole away from the edge of the stone with an unsheathed paw. She dragged him to her mouth quickly, and it was done. Sunpaw approached from behind her with a single bound. "That was a wonderful catch," she purred, licking Greenpaw's cheek, underneath her whiskers.

Greenpaw pushed it towards her with her nose. They both closed their eyes for a moment, dipping their heads, thanking StarClan for it's life. Seaheart had instructed her and Sunpaw to take a few moments after a kill, in order to thank their ancestors for the food – it was not only a part of the warrior code, he expressed, but a duty to be thankful for the world they lived in.

Sunpaw, who had already eaten a few killifish, only took a bite from the fat vole. Greenpaw was plenty hungry enough to finish it herself. When only bones were left, Greenpaw licked her muzzle clean, satisfied, and laid down on the stone, which was slowly warming with the rising sun. Sunpaw lay next to her, and they shared tongues for some moments before Seaheart's loud yowl called them back to the training island.

Bellies full, the duo took a little more time making their way to their mentors than they normally would have. "I'll bet Silverweb out-caught old Reedtail," Greenpaw remarked as they waded back through the marshes. "She's a much sharper claw than he is."

And it was true. Since Silverweb was spending so much time with them, Sunpaw and Greenpaw both had seen her hunting in action many times. She often demonstrated Seaheart's teachings, and occasionally even added to his lessons. Silverweb was a smart cat; Greenpaw would give her that much. And a vivacious hunter. She could probably even out-hunt Seaheart, but Greenpaw would never say so.

"She is," Sunpaw agreed. She was quiet for a moment. "I've had some doubts about her…"

Greenpaw glanced at her, surprised. They had never really spoken about Silverweb before, and Sunpaw was normally so accepting of every cat; even grumpy Coralclaw and mean old Hollowclaw. She never had anything bad to contribute about any cat in the Clan, and always saw the best in them.

"What about, Sunpaw?"

"It's just a feeling I have," Sunpaw admitted. "I just don't like her being around all the time."

This was news to Greenpaw. She felt her fur begin to bristle. If Sunpaw didn't like her, Greenpaw was now absolutely sure the silver she-cat could not be trusted.

"Then we should –"

"There ye be, lassies!" Seaheart interrupted them. Shellstream had a reproaching look on her face. "Ye took yer sweet time, did ye?"

Greenpaw glanced up at him from the water, embarrassed. It was true. She carried so much of the fat vole in her belly that she knew she was dragging Sunpaw behind as well. Sunpaw hadn't complained, nor would she ever; but it was Greenpaw's fault that Sunpaw had been reprimanded, too. "Sorry, Seaheart. Shellstorm." Greenpaw mewed hastily. "It was my fault. Sunpaw was just keeping my pace."

"Ay, ye'll be more sorry in a moment, young ones!" Seaheart mewed, but not disdainfully. He somehow always managed to keep warmth in his mew. Stern warmth.

"We'll be working on partner fighting today," Shellstream explained, flicking her tail and gaining a hint of her regular enthusiasm in her eyes. "Seaheart and I will be battling the two of you before we head back to camp, after practicing. We'll see how you fare on that walk back."

"We've seen the two ye lasses battle together, an' ye almost instinctively fall into partner fighting al'ready," Seaheart added, eyeing Greenpaw specifically. She wondered why. "By tail or claw, ye lassies fight better together."

"But we're going to fine-tune those instinctive moves and add to your battle account." Shellstream finished. "Now, the two of you. Attack me. Seaheart will observe."

Greenpaw felt her fur prickle in surprise. Instructions were usually given before the battle. This was the first time she would be battling and then evaluated. Shellstream was not joking in any way – in her moment of hesitation, Greenpaw watched Shellstream raise her paw for a front paw blow to Greenpaw's face, but then Sunpaw's paw batted Shellstream's away from Greenpaw.

Shellstream jumped back into a defensive position, just out of range of any counter-attack. Greenpaw felt the sand crunching around her paws as she and Sunpaw brushed each others' sides before slowly moving away from each other – Greenpaw going widdershins, as Seaheart would say: to the left – and Sunpaw moving deosil, to the right.

Greenpaw kept her eyes on Shellstream, who was shaking her head from side to side, keeping eyes on both cats. When Greenpaw and Sunpaw were almost close enough to lash out at Shellstream, Greenpaw saw Sunpaw flick her tail out of the corner of her eye.

Greenpaw took no more than a moment after to attempt to leap atop Shellstream. But as Greenpaw came crashing down, Shellstream dropped and rolled away form her – and, unluckily enough, away from Sunpaw as well. Shellstream rolled to the very edge of the island, the tip of her tail dipping into the Saltmarsh.

Shellstream jumped up, but all of the sudden, Sunpaw was on top of her back, successfully. Shellstream rolled again, now pinning Sunpaw under her, but Greenpaw leapt one more time and landed on Shellstream. Greenpaw felt Sunpaw give a great "Oof!" of surprise from the sudden extra weight, but Greenpaw wasted no time and no hesitation to rake Shellstream's belly with sheathed claws, and to press her nose near the nape of Shellstream's neck as a faux bite.

Seaheart called them off, and Greenpaw allowed Shellstream to get up, who, in turn, allowed Sunpaw. Sunpaw looked a little frazzled, but Greenpaw saw the triumph in her eyes, too, the same that Greenpaw felt. Ha-ha, Shellstream! Take that!

Greenpaw licked the top of Sunpaw's head, who was still looking a little disheveled with sand dispersed throughout her pelt. Sunpaw gave a little shake, spraying Greenpaw with the little grains, but Greenpaw just purred. "We won!" she announced.

"So ye did," Seaheart meowed, his tone amused. "Two against one, I'll remind ye."

"But what does Sunpaw think of the battle?" Shellstream asked, looking her apprentice dead in the eye as she padded over to Seaheart's side. Seaheart eyed Sunpaw curiously as well.

But Sunpaw merely met their eyes in silence. What did they mean? Just because she got stuck under Shellstream? But Greenpaw won the battle and rescued her!

"Crushed, I'm sure the young one feels," Seaheart mewed bemused. "Greenpaw, lass, ye did nothing but add to the weight an' pressure placed on Sunpaw. Ye not be fully grown, yet, lassies. Should ye be full grown, 'twould be a dangerous way to win, all right. A dangerous one indeed."

"You could have broken Sunpaw's bones, Greenpaw." Shellstream added. "You must look for opportunity but keep your Clanmates safe as well."

Greenpaw was suddenly dumbfounded. But she _won_!

Then, Greenpaw's mind suddenly wandered to images of Beachflower, of Shrimpkit, of Pearlpelt. Of Stormrush and Sandflame, Hollowclaw and Froglegs. Even Sharkpaw and Reedtail, Tidepaw and Riverpaw. Coralclaw, Rosekit and Bluekit. The cats she had grown to not only feel the need to ferociously defend, but to feed for, care for, and love. Especially Sunpaw. She didn't _ever_ want to hurt them.

And suddenly, Greenpaw understood why Seaheart had made her meet all of the Clan cats. She understood why it was so necessary to not only swear to defend them, but to know what and who she was fighting for. Now, she got it.

"Now, enough chat an' blame, that didn't ever help a cat. What you should have done, lass…" Seaheart went on, describing the proper techniques and how to handle precarious situations with a partner. Greenpaw listened closely, her head high and her tail wrapped around Sunpaw's.

She had a clan to protect.


	20. Chapter 20

Waterpaw came back to SaltClan three quarter-moons since the first Gathering, when the night was draped in inky blackness; the stars glowed gold against the dark nighttime pelt of StarClan. The heavy ocean winds blew salty air throughout the SaltClan camp hollow, despite the layer of sand dunes protecting them. It was one of the nights that Greenpaw liked best – when the sea was roaring as waves crashed down on the beaches, and the stars twinkled gold streaks across the water top.

The camp was quiet when Waterpaw entered – or rather, snuck _into_. Most cats were asleep, all but five. Hollowclaw, Sandflame and Sharkpaw were out on a late night patrol, protecting the sleeping clan. Greenpaw would have been a part of the sleeping clan, would it have not been for Sunpaw.

They had been sleeping in the apprentice's den, nests tucked closely together, like usual. They had both been training hard the day before with Seaheart and Shellstream, working on partner fighting again. They were quite the duo, now, even though they had only trained together for a short time. They seemed to be able to read each other's minds, using signals special to them that no cat could hope to understand.

Greenpaw could tell, just by her breathing, what Sunpaw was feeling, and Sunpaw seemed to always know what Greenpaw was thinking. It made training all the easier, and brought the two she-cats all the closer.

Greenpaw would never say so, but she was extremely uncomfortable and anxious when they trained separately, or when one was out on a patrol without the other. She always felt more at ease with Sunpaw; hence why she slept like the dead when Sunpaw was snoozing next to her.

But that particular night, before Waterpaw had arrived, a rustling near her gray-and-white slumbering body woke Greenpaw up. She almost brushed it off, the loud beach waves lulling her back to a warm sleep, but all of the sudden, Sunpaw's warm pelt, her steady breathing, was missing from Greenpaw's side. Greenpaw sprang up, blinking sleep from her eyes, to see Sunpaw standing in her nest, her head and tail drooped, her breathing steady and heavy like it was in her sleep. "Sunpaw," she whispered, careful not to wake the other apprentices. Tidepaw was a quiet one, until you disturbed his sleep.

But Sunpaw didn't respond to her. She just kept standing, her body slacked and her breathing even. Greenpaw tried again. "Sunpaw!" she hissed.

But Sunpaw still wasn't responding. There was no way Sunpaw didn't hear her. What in the world was Sunpaw doing? Even more bewildered Greenpaw was, when Sunpaw slowly started shuffling out of the apprentice's den, her head and tail still drooping. Greenpaw felt a flicker of panic. What was going on?

Greenpaw considered tackling her, but quickly decided against it. Instead, she carefully steped over Riverpaw's loose tail and followed Sunpaw into the chilly nighttime breeze. Greenpaw took a moment to appreciate the swaths of twinkling stars across the midnight canvas of the sky, before shaking her head back to the present.

What in the name of StarClan was Sunpaw doing?

She made it to the center of the camp before Greenpaw realized where she was headed. She was trying to leave the camp. But why…?

Greenpaw realized she had to make a decision. She could follow Sunpaw out of the camp, and figure out where Sunpaw – who appeared to be sleeping, yet walking – thought she was headed. And risk numerous things. Getting caught in the dark night's tides being one of the worst. The next, getting caught by the warrior patrol and being in trouble with Twilightstar again.

 _Well_ , Greenpaw thought darkly. _Technically it's Sunpaw getting herself in trouble._ But Greenpaw shook the ridiculous thought from her head, arched her back into her hunter's stance, and tackled Sunpaw.

In retrospect, Greenpaw would realize there were several more _quiet_ ways to attempt to wake Sunpaw. Greenpaw landed square on Sunpaw's shoulders, and the two cats tumbled, Sunpaw slackening under Greenpaw's weight instantly. Greenpaw landed on the ground with a small thud, her face right in front of Sunpaw's, their limbs tangling.

The frightened she-cat's eyes flew open, her mouth gaping with a quick inhale. A flicker of something – fear? Or was that fearsome hostility? – flashed in Sunpaw's bright yellow eyes. Greenpaw was taken aback for that moment, for she had never seen something so…frightening in Sunpaw's quiet, kind, observant eyes. But she recognized Greenpaw less than a moment later, and it faded into relaxed confusion. The confusion you felt when you were with someone you cared about, when you knew you were safe to wonder, because you and all of your fantasies were protected. "Greenpaw?" she murmured, her eyes shutting to tired slits as she blinked.

"Sunpaw!" Greenpaw hissed, disbelief coloring her mew. "What do you mean, 'Greenpaw'? What were you doing?"

Greenpaw had never admonished Sunpaw before. Sunpaw's eyes widened when she heard how serious Greenpaw was trying to be. She looked around, gazing at their tangled limbs, their position in the center of the camp. Sunpaw slowly disengaged herself from Greenpaw, pulling herself into a sitting position and giving the camp another look around.

"This hasn't happened since I was a kit," Sunpaw whimpered after she was satisfied that there were no other cats around, ducking her head. Greenpaw picked herself up, and wound her neck around Sunpaw's, instantly feeling protective. Her eyes darted to and fro across the camp, daring any awakened cat to approach them. When no cat emerged from their dens, Greenpaw settled down in front of her and whispered, "Since _what_ happened, Sunpaw? What were you doing? You seemed asleep!"

Sunpaw nodded. "I was. When I was a kit, I used to sleepwalk."

"Sleepwalk." Greenpaw repeated, thoroughly puzzled.

Sunpaw nodded again, then lifted her head, looing into Greenpaw's eyes.

"Well, okay." Greenpaw nodded, trying to understand. She had never heard of sleepwalking before. "How do you stop it? What if you had walked right into the sea? What if a raccoon, or a minx had attacked you? What if you had been caught by the patrol?"

Sunpaw shook her head, fear glimmering in her sweet yellow eyes. "Greenpaw, none of those things worry me. They would have been almost welcomed."

"What would have been welcomed; your death?" Greenpaw mewed, shocked. "Because that's what the sea would have been! Or a minx! You could have been seriously hurt!"

"No, Greenpaw, you don't understand." Sunpaw murmured. Her tone made Greenpaw's heart clench. "Whenever I slept walk as a kit…it meant something bad was coming. Something very, very bad."

"Something bad." Greenpaw echoed stupidly. "What sort of things?"

"Death, Greenpaw." Sunpaw mewed, hopelessness radiating from her. It made Greenpaw fretfull, uncomfortable – Sunpaw was never one to fright. Greenpaw very suddenly didn't feel safe. "Death."

It was at that moment that sand fell through the camp hollow, and Waterpaw's long-foregone head poked through.

"Waterpaw?" Greenpaw hissed, taken aback by the stealthy entrance. "What is she—"

But Sunpaw bobbed her sheathed paw on the top of Greenpaw's head, drawing her down to the ground, where Sunpaw was laying as flat as she possibly could. "Hush, Greenpaw." Sunpaw whispered. "We aren't supposed to be up."

"But she isn't—" Sunpaw silenced her with another head bob. Greenpaw fell silent, squashing her body as flat as it would go, flattening her ears against her head. "It isn't that dark," she grumbled quietly. "She'll be able to –"

Unsheathed claws met the side of her face, however gently. Greenpaw stared at Sunpaw, shocked. She was an inherently non-violent cat. What in the name of StarClan was all this about?

But there was something in Sunpaw's eyes she had never seen before, until this unsettling evening – fear. Unadulterated fear.

Waterpaw kept her head low, and to the very edge of the camp, towards Pearlpelt's den. She slunk in quietly, the tip of her tail disappearing into the inky blackness of Pearlpelt's cavern across the hollow.

Greenpaw could hardly stand the questions whirling through her head. Instinctivly, she brought her body into a hunter's crouch, and padded her way over to the right side of Pearlpelt's den. If she came out unexpectedly, Greenpaw could dart past Twilightstar's den, behind the fresh-kill pile. She had all but discounted Sunpaw, her mind a haze of wonder, until Sunpaw's flank was brushing up to her side. "Don't leave me," Sunpaw murmured fretfully. Greenpaw could smell her faint fear-scent.

"It's okay," Greenpaw tried to soothe, as quietly as she could. It discomforted her, knowing Sunpaw was so shaken. But this was an investigation. She had to know why Waterpaw came so sneakily, in the dead of night. Greenpaw felt her fur bristle, and Sunpaw pressed herself closer.

Greenpaw forced her curious breathing to relax, to try and trick Sunpaw into relaxing as well. Greenpaw found this very difficult. There was so much happening in such a short period of time…so many questions…Greenpaw licked the top of Sunpaw's head before straining her ears, cocking them towards the medicine cat's den.

Both Pearleplt and Twilightstar's dens were quite deep into the Cliffside, but also narrow. With enough concentration, it was easy to eavesdrop outside either of the caves. Greenpaw learned so as a kit in the nursery.

"I couldn't come, baring the news I have before the whole clan, mam." Waterpaw whispered. Greenpaw could hear the uncertainty and confusion in her mew. "I had to speak to just you."

"Twilightstar is the leader of SaltClan, Waterpaw." Pearlpelt murmured back, understanding but firm. "Sneaking in at midnight makes you look like an enemy. Refusing to meet with Twilightstar makes you seem like a coward. I know you are neither, daughter. But Twilightstar does not."

"Midnight, mam, that's just it." Waterpaw mews seemed to beg for sanction. "I don't wish to leave RootClan. I know it, I know in my heart, that's where I'm suppose to be."

Pearlpelt was silent. For several moments, all Greenpaw could hear was Sunpaw's breathing, which was calming as Greenpaw wrapped their tails together. She could smell the desperation reeking from Waterpaw, even though she was deep within the den. Greenpaw flicked her ears, impatient and impertinent.

Finally, Pearlpelt mewed. She sounded rather tired. "So you will it, so it will be."

There was another lapse of silence. Greenpaw began feeling uneasy. So Waterpaw was leaving, just like that?

Especially when they had just accepted Silverweb into their clan? She was finally being given more leeway. Silverweb proved herself to be a thoughtful she-cat, inquisitive with strong natural instincts. An intense predator. But wasn't it so oddly convenient that they had gained a cat from the clan Waterpaw was leaving them for?

Was she truly loyal to SaltClan? Or was there more to this story?

Greenpaw began to knead the ground. She was worried now. She had to tell Twilightstar, right this moment, before Waterpaw went away.

But as she began to back up, Sunpaw pressed her head to Greenpaw's ear, and lifted her muzzle to her twitching ear. "Not yet," she mewed as softly as she could. Greenpaw's heart was pounding. Of course Sunpaw knew what she intended to do. Of course she would stop her.

Almost frustrated with Sunpaw, she felt her fur bristle again. But all Sunpaw did was whisper, "We need to get back."

They crept back to the apprentice's den with their eyes on Pearlpelt's den, in case Waterpaw came out and they needed to duck flatly against the ground - again. But she never did, and Greenpaw wondered if Pearlpelt had changed her mind and was trying to convince her daughter to stay.

As Sunpaw and Greenpaw settled back in their nests next to one another, Greenpaw laid awake, her muzzle on her paws, eyes trained on Pearlpelt's den. She knew Sunpaw was unsettled and awake next to her, quiet and unmoving but her breath erratic.

Greenpaw suddenly realized Sunpaw was probably more bothered by her sleepwalking. And then the thought jutted into Greenpaw's mind like the Highledge jutted from the cliffside – Sunpaw's prophesized death-walk! Did it have anything to do with Silverweb, with Waterpaw, with RootClan? Was death afoot SaltClan because of Clan deserters? Were they true deserters? Could Silverweb be a spy, and Waterpaw an unwilling hostage, being tortured into proclaiming her abandonment of SaltClan? With each blink, Greenpaw's mind spun wilder and wilder stories and scenarios, each scarier than the last. And death was the last thing she thought of before a blink suddenly became sleep, however unwilling.

And that night, Greenpaw dreamt of death, too.

 **Hope you guys are enjoying the story! I know it's a little lengthy. There are SIX chapters left until the end of BOOK ONE. Feel free to review so I can tweak the last couple chapters as needed, and so I can start BOOK TWO as satisfyingly as possible!**


	21. Chapter 21

Greenpaw woke up anxious, with Sunpaw's uneven breathing next to her. Riverpaw, Sharkpaw, and Tidepaw had already left their nests. Late morning sunlight was streaming into the shallow cave that made the apprentice's den warm and humid.

"Morning," Sunpaw mewed softly as Greenpaw arched her back in a deep stretch. Greenpaw's paws had been tucked under her in a rather uncomfortable position, leftover from trying to keep up with Waterpaw last night. Her bones ached like an elders'.

Greenpaw licked the top of Sunpaw's head after coming out of her stretch. "Did you sleep as awfully as I did?"

Sunpaw nodded, standing up and shaking bits of dried fern from her pretty yellow-striped pelt. She was quiet for a moment before turning her head to meet Greenpaw's eyes. "I'm worried, Greenpaw."

Greenpaw's fur prickled uncomfortably. Sunpaw was always so warm and collected, so opposite of worried. It was distressing knowing so plainly her friend was out of sorts. Scared.

Greenpaw felt an unfamiliar wave of dread come over her. This was so not _right._ Waterpaw sneaking into the Clan to tell her mam she was leaving; Silverweb's mysterious request to join SaltClan; Sunpaw's certain omen of death. What could it all mean? Definitely not the Clan life she had perceived since meeting the Nighttime cats.

"So ye finally be awake, are ye, lassies?" Seaheart appeared suddenly before the apprentice den. Shellstream's head popped up next to his. "Late night?"

Greenpaw opened her mouth to respond, unclear of what word vomit was about to come out, but Sunpaw quickly answered for them. "Just an uncomfortable one, Seaheart. We're sorry we slept in."

Seaheart nodded approvingly. Despite knowingly being a challenging apprentice, Greenpaw had never seen Seaheart anything less than accepting. Shellstream was a little less forgiving.

"Well," the gray-blue she-cat answered briskly. "Since you've slept in, perhaps you'd like to go fill the fresh-kill pile. We haven't had a morning hunting patrol yet, and it's a little low."

Greenpaw's belly growled disapprovingly in response. "But—"

"Aye, lass, that ye shall." Seaheart dipped his head, meeting her eyes sternly. "And ye shall bide to the warrior code; the pair of ye shall not eat until the Clan has been fed."

Greenpaw dropped her eyes, her belly growling again. "Yes, Seaheart."

"Shellstream," Sunpaw mewed quietly, her eyes glancing outside the den. "May we take Silverweb with us? Perhaps we can practice hunting shrimp with her. She is quite good."

Seaheart looked surprised, but Shellstream nodded. No cat turned Sunpaw down. She was too…good. "Sure. She's already fed, so she'll be sure to keep the group energy up. She's laying outside the warrior's den; you may go get her."

Greenpaw was as surprised as Seaheart. Why did Sunpaw want to hunt with Silverweb? Greenpaw desperately wanted to talk about last night, but she didn't trust Silverweb. She may be a fine hunter on land and sea, but that didn't automatically make her completely loyal to SaltClan.

It was at that moment of consideration that Greenpaw wondered what true loyalty meant.

"Greenpaw," Sunpaw drew the tip of her tail down Greenpaw's back, getting her attention. "Are you ready?"

Seaheart and Shellstream were gone. Greenpaw must have been more dazed than she realized. The lack of sleep and her empty belly were both telling her to curl up by the fresh-kill pile and take a nap. But her duty to the Clan told her to fetch Silverweb for a hunt.

"Yes," Greenpaw mewed with a small lick to the soft space in-between Sunpaw's ears. Sunpaw brushed her bright, warm pelt against Greenpaw's fuzzy, stoney one, and Greenpaw felt an instant decrease of tension. Sunpaw knew what she was doing. There must be a reason for inviting Silverweb.

They made their way over to the warrior's den in silence, stopping a couple tail-lengths from Silverweb's warming spot. Her eyes were closed, but her head was raised into the sunshine. When Sunpaw and Greenpaw's shadows came over her, her green eyes shot open – yet she did not seem startled, only suspicious. "Yes?"

Greenpaw kneaded the ground anxiously. She really, really did not care for Silverweb. It was Sunpaw that answered her. "We were wondering if you'd help us catch shrimp."

"Shrimp." Silverweb repeated. She blinked her eyes a few time, and stood up without stretching her back. She moved her head from side to side a few times, almost as if stretching her neck – then nodded. "They must be growing on me, to trust me enough with two apprentices."

Greenpaw's fur prickled. "Two _strong_ apprentices," she amended, irritated. "And you won't disagree if we were to fight!"

Silverweb's eyes gleamed with something – amusement, maybe? – but Greenpaw couldn't be sure of what. Silverweb was a very mysterious cat, indeed. She fought fiercely, caught much, but shared little. "I do not plan on it, Greenpaw." She answered, giving away no emotion.

The fact that she called her by name somehow annoyed Greenpaw even more. But Sunpaw's tail touched her at the base of her tail, and Greenpaw said nothing.

"Shall we go, then?" Sunpaw asked, no hint of distress in her mew. Greenpaw wondered how she could be so calm – after her proclamation of death following the sleepwalking episode, and the distressing news of Waterpaw leaving them for RootClan…didn't she want to discuss everything together? To figure out what to do?

Sunpaw and Silverweb made quiet conversation as the trio bounded over the Dunes, and in walk of the low-tide wake. Greenpaw's belly grumbled irritably, and she made no attempts to join them.

"How did you learn to catch shrimp so well, Silverweb?" Sunpaw asked as the water crested over their paws. Greenpaw felt a bit more at ease, the salty air thick on her tongue, the wet sand gently massaging her aching paws with every step.

"From the best," Silverweb replied, almost absentmindedly. She too, seemed focused on the happy beach morning. "My mam taught me."

"And where is she?" Sunpaw went on, her tone genuinely interested in Silverweb's response. Greenpaw had to bury her irritation. Half of Greenpaw wanted Sunpaw to ask _her_ a question, to keep her of mind. The other half wanted to stay as quiet as she could, lest Silverweb think she was welcomed on the adventure that Sunpaw had, well, welcomed her on. It was a very confusing contradiction.

"Dead," Silverweb answered, her mew flat. There was a silence, as if she had nothing left to say on the subject. But then she continued, as a flock of seagulls parted before them, cawing and squeaking as they rose in the sea air. "We lived on a small, sandy piece of land in the Saltmarshes, close to the Snakeroot-trees. She was old, and an avid hunter, but fighting was difficult for her. Before I was born, a raccoon bit her on her back leg, and it got infected. She hasn't had much use of it since. A minx attacked her when I was just some moons old. She died protecting my brother and I."

Greenpaw felt an eerie connection blossom as Silverweb shared of her mam's untimely death. She swallowed it away and irritably flattened her ears. But neither cat was paying her any mind.

"What of Pearlpelt? She couldn't help?"

"My mam was very…independent. To the point of fault. She wouldn't depend on any cat but herself and her kin. Even when she was pregnant and nesting…but like I said, she was a fierce hunter. I learned everything I know from her." Silverweb finished with a finalized note in her mew, as if it was said and done, and there was nothing left to say about it.

But there wasn't a lapse in conversation as Sunpaw next asked, "You didn't know Waterpaw until she came to RootClan, then?"

Greenpaw felt her jaw drop. She had to fight the urge her body had to stand paralyzed with shock. And then she rejoiced, a flurry of energy seizing her body. _Sunpaw, you are a genius!_

"No, I didn't." Silverweb seemed to answer carefully. "It was when I saw Waterpaw in RootClan that I knew I belonged in SaltClan."

Sunpaw nodded, not giving away any more interest in Waterpaw than she had about Silverweb's mam. Sunpaw had a very inviting mew, one that always sounded genuine and interested, but not prying nor suspicious. That's why everyone liked Sunpaw. When she talked to you, you felt like the only cat in the world that she cared about.

"It seems like it's about time for her to be back." Sunpaw commented casually, her mew as gentle as ever.

"I wouldn't hold your breath," Silverweb muttered, looking straight ahead. "I don't see her leaving anytime soon."

"What makes you say that?" Sunpaw mewed, her tone still giving away nothing.

Silverweb stopped, and turned toward the water. She padded along until she was almost belly-deep in the salty sea, dipping her head to take a few licks. Sunpaw stopped as well, turning to face her and sitting down in the cresting water, wrapping her tail around her paws. Greenpaw stood, her head turned toward Silverweb with shock in her eyes she couldn't hide.

Silverweb turned back to them after a few moments, the morning sun making Silverweb's pelt shine, and met Sunpaw's brilliantly yellow eyes. "Because." she meowed evenly. "Your medicine cat apprentice is in love with RootClan's leader."

 **This may be an overdone sub-plot, but just trust me on this one :) read and review! I always like to know what my readers are thinking!**


	22. Chapter 22

"Midnightstar?" Greenpaw couldn't help but gasp. "Waterpaw is in love with _Midnightstar_?"

"Water _wisp,_ " Silverweb corrected, her eyes giving away nothing more than her mew. "Waterwisp has been accepted by RootClan as a warrior – or, more accurately, a queen. She is expecting kits."

Greenpaw felt dazed. A chill ran down her body, making her fur prickle despite the intense morning heat. Even Sunpaw didn't move a muscle.

After a few silent moments of water lapping over the cats' legs, Greenpaw came to her voice again. "Why tell us? Sunpaw and I? Why tell _us_ this, and not Twilightstar? Or Pearlpelt?"

Silverweb began padding back toward them, out of the deeper water. Her belly fur was soaked with salty water. "For starters, no-cat has asked me about Waterwisp, until Sunpaw. Not even Twilightstar."

"But—" Greenpaw began, only to be hushed by Sunpaw and silenced by Silverweb's continuance.

"Our leader, Twilightstar, is not well. Have you noticed her absences? Do you see how she disappears, almost for full days? Twilightstar knew of the dangers that heavy tides bring, yet made the choice to go out for a swim anyway. Twilightstar is not well. Hearing news of Waterwisp will not do well for her morale, or her rationality. She will take this loss personally.

"As for Pearlpelt; your medicine cat must be told in her own time. Waterwisp is her daughter. It is not my right to destroy familial bonds. Pearlpelt must be told in her own time."

Greenpaw's head was swimming with dizziness. This was too much to take in. She had noticed Twilightstar's disappearances – after a few days, she would get detatched from the Clan; very nostaligic, very sad. She would go away for the majority of a day, to the salty beach, but would return with fresh-kill and a jobial mood, ready to lead her Clan. She always seemed to ended up fine…totally fine…

"Are you trying to imply," Greenpaw meowed lowly. "that our leader has a death wish?"

Silverweb met her gaze evenly. "I'm not implying anything. I'm telling you what I know."

"Then why are you here?" Greenpaw demanded. "Are you here to spy? To go back to RootClan and tell them SaltClan is weak? Is that what you think of us?"

Sunpaw's wet tail tip brushed over Greenpaw's tense shoulders, quieting her. Silverweb didn't reply for some moments. "I wasn't the only cat to leave the lands they knew best, in order to follow Midnightstar. I wasn't the only one who made that mistake. The difference is, I recognized it. I knew where I belonged." Silverweb dipped her stupid head again, and added quietly, "Just like you."

Greenpaw didn't know anything else to add. Desperate thoughts raced through her brain as the sea breeze ruffled her fur. Greenpaw felt confused, uncertain, and most of all, at a loss. Was Twilightstar truly that unwell? Was she really so unhappy? If she decided to leave, what would happen to the Clan? Seaheart was a wonderful deputy, but none of the cats that made up SaltClan were Clan born…they needed Twilightstar's guidance for as long as possible. Who else would stitch together the relationship between SaltClan and StarClan? Who else would teach and protect them?

The trio made their way to the SaltMarsh in silence, padding along the beach with their paws in the wet sand, allowing them to be lapped by crashing waves. Sunpaw walked in the middle of Greenpaw and Silverweb, separating them. Greenpaw wished desperately to have Sunpaw in private now. If Greenpaw didn't like the silver she-cat before, she definitely didn't like Silverweb now. Nor did Greenpaw trust her any more.

Was Waterpaw – _Waterwisp –_ was she truly expecting kits? How could that be? All Waterwisp told Pearlpelt was that she was leaving SaltClan…no explanation or anything…so it was possible…

Greenpaw found her mind too cluttered for hunting. She wasn't able to focus on Silverweb's instructions, and had deep struggles separating from the two other she-cats, her surrounding dangerously quiet and her mind dangerously loud.

And so, Greenpaw was unenthusiastic about their shrimping lessons. Shrimp were difficult and boring to catch. She much preferred the birds of the beach, or water voles, or fish in the Saltmarsh. Shrimping on the edge of the Saltmarsh, so close to the Snakeroot-trees that belonged to RootClan (though rightfully belonged to SaltClan), was most disettling.

If any RootClan cat took particular offence to Silverweb's desertion, the shrimping trio were putting themselves in danger –m especially separated onto different isalnds of the Saltmarsh. Normally, Greenpaw would welcome a fight. In fact, sometimes, she even sought them out. But Greenpaw had no inkling of ferocious protection when it came to defending Silverweb.

So Greenpaw sat wearily as Silverweb showed them how to curve an upturned, unsheathed paw under the edge of the seagrass; to dip it under the water, hidden near a shrimp nursery; how to shadow the submerged claw with one in the open above it. The idea was to cage them in between your paws while they swam by unsuspectingly. But shrimp were to blindingly fast, and were difficult to catch after they sensed danger. Shrimping required a skillful amount of balance and patience, all for one stupid shrimp.

The crabs also required a regular amount of mindfulness. Sometimes, small crabs could look like shrimp in murkey water. The last thing a cat wanted to do was accidently capture a crab. Their relentless pinching pincers could hurt even the most calloused paw.

Sunpaw, who was now sitting on a sand island some fox-lengths away, had already caught two shrimp. Silverweb was a little further ahead of them, on the boulder that Greenpaw had caught the water vole only some days ago, with at least four shrimp caught and killed, sitting beside her. Greenpaw was standing on a grassy bank in the shadows of the tall green and brown fronds, with nothing to show for her time. Her belly rumbled irritably, and her sleep deprived mind couldn't focus.

She was getting frustrated. Two shrimp had passed right before her extended claws, too late by the time Greenpaw noticed. But now, she watched a fat shrimp swim idly by, small ripples of salt marsh water flowing behind him. Greenpaw focused her vision onto the shrimp, and as it came between her paws…

Greenpaw clashed her paws together, missing the shrimp completely, and felt herself tipping into the water. "No, no, no, NO!" she yowled on her way down, falling head-first into the water. She came crashing down with a splash, unexpected water filling her mouth and nose, blinding and suffocating her. She jumped from the water onto her paws, coughing and sputtering. "Fox dung!" she cursed as she caught her breath. In a moment, Sunpaw was beside her, dripping in water from a quick swim over.

"Greenpaw!" she chirped, worry creasing her brow. "What happened?"

Greenpaw had to physically stop herself from glaring at her very best friend. "Stupid shrimping happened! Waterwisp happened! Silverweb happened! Twilightstar happened! Curse these StarClan-foresaken shrimp! Curse them all!"

Silverweb swam over idly, six shrimp tails bobbing in her clenched teeth. She climbed out of the water gracefully and set them in the center of the grassy bank, then licked her muzzle. Silverweb seemed to be trying to hide a flicker of amusement in her eyes. She was not doing very well. "Having trouble?"

Greenpaw allowed herself to glare at Silverweb. "Nothing but trouble!" Greenpaw snarled, climbing onto the grassy bank and shaking her fur. Silverweb's whiskers twitched.

"Take a couple of mine. I can't carry them all the way back to camp. Sunpaw, collect your shrimp as well. It's time we made our way back, anyway."

Greenpaw was furious. At Silverweb, for ruining her morning even more than Sunpaw and Waterwisp already did. She was furious with the shrimp and with StarClan for cursing her and SaltClan with so much misfortune. Greenpaw wanted to eat, and she wanted to sleep – maybe even sleep forever. Never mind the drama unfolding. She just wanted to sleep.

Their travel back to camp was even more silent, the only sound being the flapping of beach birds' wings, the gentle _clop_ of shrimp bouncing against one another with a rhymthic step, and the drip of water from their pelts. They travelled back to the camp behind the Dunes coming back, climbing to the top of the Dunes that marked the end of their path and the beginning of camp. The finally squeezed throught he hollow entrance with slightly drier fur.

Seaheart was waiting for them, and quickly assessed their catches with a nod of approval. "Well done. Ye may eat now, the two of ye. Silverweb, lass, I'd like a word."

Silverweb shrugged, dropping the three shrimp she carried at Sunpaw's forepaws, and followed Seaheart to the outside of the warrior's den. The small cavern was empty, with the exception of Reedtail and Stormrush. The two were sharing tongues in the shaded late afternoon sun.

Sunpaw scooped up Silverweb's other shrimp, and the duo carried their prey to the fresh-kill pile near Twilightstar's den. Twilightstar was nowhere to be seen.

Sunpaw kept two shrimp for herself, and looked at Greenpaw expectantly, but Greenpaw shook her head forcefully. "If I never see a shrimp again, I'll be the happier for it." she grumbled, selecting instead a fat dunnard. She preferred dunnards over mice – she didn't know why, but dunnarts always seemed to be jucier.

Sunpaw and Greenpaw padded over to the apprentice's den, laying their meals outside in the sun and settling down beside each other. Riverpaw and Tidepaw were sharing tongues inside, and didn't acknowledge the she-cat's approach. Greenpaw didn't mind.

"My skin is feeling rather dry and itchy," Sunpaw murmured, using her unsheathed paw to scratch at her head. "I wonder if Pearlpelt has any gum plant for it, I know she's been using it a lot lately…"

"How can you be thinking of itchy skin at a time like this?" Greenpaw hissed quietly. "What of Waterwisp? What of your dream?"

"Greenpaw," Sunpaw mewed tiredly, defeatedly. It was an odd tone Greenpaw didn't like coming from Sunpaw. It made her feel uncomfortable. "There's nothing we can do about Waterwisp, or of my dream. If I know anything, it's these forewarnings are fixed, and can't be avoided. Death will come. I just hope Silverweb is wrong, and it isn't Twilightstar's."

"So we're just supposed to sit here, and do nothing? Catch shrimp and stay quiet? Shouldn't we tell Seaheart and Shellstream?" Greenpaw just couldn't consent to Sunpaw's acceptance. They couldn't sit around and do _nothing_ , not with the new knowledge they have.

Well, maybe after their meal and a nice nap, Greenpaw amended privately. Then we can try and fix whatever this is.

"That's exactly what we _shouldn't_ do, Greenpaw. Making big deals out of premonitions just allows them to fester quicker, more intensely. If we give them life, we allow them to manifest in worry and allow them to take over our lives. It gives them power over you. The best we can do is let things sort out on their own."

And with that, Sunpaw began peeling the shell off of one of her shrimp, and took a generous bite. Greenpaw sighed, and bit down into her dunnart. At least one craving would be satisfied.

They finished their meal and shared tongues for a short while in silence, comforting each other in the late afternoon warmth. Greenpaw felt her eyes begin to droop with exhaustion, and wondered what her chances were of catching an afternoon nap. She wondered what punishement Seaheart might come up with for catching her snoozing during the prime of day– maybe this punishment would be learning a series of closed-eye battle techniques. Who knew what the crazy old coot would have her do next?

Greenpaw was fighting sleep when Sunpaw rose from beside her. Greenpaw didn't even open her eyes to see where Sunpaw was making off to. The sun was so warm, and so inviting…she could almost…

And then, some-cat trodded on Greenpaw's outstretched tail. Greenpaw screeched, jumping up and hissing at the one responsible. "You stupid minx-breath!"

"Trying to catch a nap while the rest of us are training, are we?" Sharkpaw sneered, stepping off of her tail. Greenpaw felt her tail whip back angrily, and arched her back with a hiss. "Trying to snooze while I fill the fresh-kill pile?"

"For your information, I –" but Greenpaw stopped herself. In all honesty, she had gone hunting, but had nothing to show of it. The few shrimp she had carried back exhibited Silverweb's skills, not Greenpaw's own. Greenpaw suddenly felt an unwelcome prickle of shame bristle her fur as she straightened her body out of her offensive crouch.

Greenpaw glanced around inside the apprentice's den. Tidepaw mewed nothing, and Riverpaw blinked. Greenpaw gave a _hrmph_ of contempt and stalked away from the den, fuming. She was a few fox-lengths away from the entrance, ready to leave without warning, no matter _what_ of the warrior code, when she heard Twilightstar's voice ruminating from Pearlpelt's den.

"-don't have a choice, Pearlpelt. I need to speak with StarClan before the Gathering. Full moon is only some nights away, and I need to share dreams with them, especially if you haven't heard anything of our ancestors."

"Sometimes, no news is good news," Pearlpelt responded with her raspy mew. It sounded rather gentle, a tone she wasn't use to coming from Pearlpelt. "We may have lost Waterpaw, but we have gained Silverweb. Waterpaw hasn't been here since the Clan came together. Silverweb has been here much longer than Waterpaw ever was."

"You accept her loss so calmly, so blindly?" Twilightstar questioned with irritation in her mew. Greenpaw detected sadness and confusion, as well. "Silverweb may have saved me, but I still do not know whether or not we can fully trust her, and where her loyalities truly lie. Especially now that we know Waterpaw isn't coming back. I must go to the Moonflies."

The Moonflies! Greenpaw thought excitedly, finally brightening up. If there was ever any place to get answers…

Greenpaw couldn't control her legs or thoughts fast enough, and she bounded into Pearlpelt's deep den with no hinderance or forethought. "I want to go to the Moonflies!" Greenpaw gasped, her heart pounding. "Please, Twilightstar, take me with you!"

"I have no mind to take a nosy apprentice who doesn't know how to follow orders," Twilightstar snapped, her fur bristling and whiskers twitching. She must have seen the shock on Greenpaw's face because after she snapped, Twilightstar took a breath and reframed her answer. "I'm travelling alone, Greenpaw." She told her as calmly as she seemed to be able to manage. Greenpaw saw the disorder in her icy blue eyes. "I shall not be taking any cat with me to the Moonflies."

"Do you think that's wise, with everything so fresh, Twilightstar? Cats who do not fully understand the warrior code yet may not let you pass, or may attack you. We don't know how other cats are being trained in the ways of the Code." Pearlpelt spoke with quiet authority, something that Sunpaw seemed to have to. Usually, the tone would be completely and utterly final, even as a suggestion. But the high emotions that Twilightstar and Greenpaw were both feeling seemed to act as immunity to the tone, for neither lowered their stance.

"I'll require travelling herbs, Pearlpelt." Twilightstar mewed stiffly, flicking her tail to dismiss Greenpaw.

Greenpaw stomped out of the den even more furious than before. Could Twilightstar really keep Greenpaw from speaking with StarClan, or the Tribe of Endless Hunting, whoever she may meet from the higher landing that their ancestors resided? Could Twilightstar truly keep them from her?

Yes, she decided. 'The leader's word is Warrior Code.' How frustrating. She wasn't allowed to accompany Twilightstar to the Moonflies.

This, of course, just meant that Greenpaw would have to track her leader to the Moonflies, without her permission.

Greenpaw smelled an adventure ahead.


	23. Chapter 23

Tracking Twilightstar turned out to be a much easier process than Greenpaw had originally anticipated. Twilightstar's emotions were high strung, making her unsusceptible to sensing Greenpaw. Not only that, but Twilightstar expected Greenpaw to be back at camp, where she ordered the apprentice to stay.

Twilightstar had left the hollow immediately after exiting Pearlpelt's den, stopping only to trade a few quiet mews with Seaheart. As he nodded his big head, Twilightstar had already turned away to the camp entrance.

Greenpaw didn't have any travelling herbs, but she had just eaten with Sunpaw, and had never minded long walks that carved ways to adventures. The only thing that Greenpaw was truly worried about was getting cracked paws. After spending so much time in the Saltmarsh with Sunpaw and Silverweb, Greenpaw should have asked Pearlpelt for broomsedge to keep her paw-pads from splitting. Walking on them the rest of the day, in the dry heat of the Clifflands above the beach, was going to be a gamble. She could only hope her paws would hold out on her – Greenpaw had no idea what broomsedge looked prior to being chewed into a poltice. She wasn't a medicine cat – she didn't know what to look for.

Trying to pay her paws no mind, Greenpaw instead focued on her pace. She kept her stride very slow during the beginning of the journey. Greenpaw was purposely attempting to put a lot of distance bwtween she and her leader, regardless of the Twilightstar's preoccupied mind. Should Greenpaw be caught, Twilightstar would be furious, and most definitely send her back on her way to the camp, _with_ a punishment, all without seeing the Moonflies.

Greenpaw just knew she had to reach the Moonflies. She had never had a problem disrespecting authority, but lately had been growing feelings of guilt in regards to her blatant disregard for rules, ever since becoming a part of the clan. Greenpaw didn't like disrespecting Twilightstar's orders so directly, but she _knew_ , she just knew she had to speak with StarClan, to calm her running mind and worries.

The first half of the journey carried along seamlessly. Greenpaw kept as close to the Snakeriver as possible, as to not alert FernClan to her presence. Twilightstar had a much better chance of gaining a pardon from FernClan than Greenpaw did, since she was the leader. Leaders had a right to share dreams with StarClan at the Moonfly cave. Greenpaw, by herself, did not.

But trouble did eventually arise. Greenpaw could see the Steppingstone-place in the near distance, and could see the very faint outline of Twilightstar passing it. Greenpaw was mostly following by scent – and she was so focused on Twilightstar's, Greenpaw hardly even noticed the coming stench of FernClan cats getting closer, stronger. Greenpaw brushed it off, figuring she had just passed a recent marker, but all of the sudden, mid-thought, there was a yowl and a punch into Greenpaw's left shoulder.

Greenpaw had to bite her tongue to keep from howling as she barreled to the very edge of the river. But the cat attacking her had yowled anyway, so making noise hadn't of mattered – and Greenpaw's aggressor yowled again as the cat charged at her as Greenpaw tried to regain her footing.

Greenpaw, however, knew she had very good reflexes in battle, which was proven once more as she whipped around to face her attacker. Greenpaw's paws grounded her, fast enough to see a flurry of very light ginger fur with dark brown stripes come after her.

At the very last moment, when her attacker should have connected with her shoulder once again, Greenpaw darted to the side, waiting for the cat – who Greenpaw now smelled was a she-cat – to fall into the river. But the she-cat had good reflexes too, and stopped herself despite the surprise of Greenpaw leaping to the side. The cat rounded on her, amber eyes flashing, as Greenpaw hissed and backed away, arching her pack and preparing to spring.

She assessed her attacker quickly. There was just one cat, and it didn't seem like her warning yowl attracted any unwanted attention. Battle gleamed in the she-cat's eyes, and the duo began to circle each other. Greenpaw's heart suddenly jabbed, as she realized there was something missing. Sunpaw wasn't here to fight with her. They had practiced so much partner fighting together, Greenpaw felt vaguely anxious and empty-pawed without the beautiful white-and-yellow striped she-cat there.

Her aggressor sprang forward, aiming a swipe of unsheathed claws at Greenpaw's shoulder. Greenpaw dodged it again by leaping backwards, and the FernClan cat snarled. "What pretty kitty is afraid of the big bad cat? Why do you keeping jumping away, pretty kitty?" she taunted, her mew high-pitched like Sunpaw's, but not at all comforting and agreeable. There was venom in her mew.

Greenpaw tried not to let the taunting ease her defensive position, nor force her into a clumsy attack. "Words can begin or end a battle just as quickly as claws," she heard Seaheart's voice echo in her head. "Depending on if ye know how to use them."

Greenpaw wasn't sure if this was exactly what Seaheart meant, but she definitely wasn't going to let some flowery little FernClan she-cat the same size as Greenpaw was taunt her into an ungainly battle.

"Pretty kitty doesn't want to fight?" the she-cat went on, the duo circling each other once again. "Pretty kitty afraid of getting scratched?"

Greenpaw hissed furiously. Her body began to shake, and she forced herself to calm. "Empty minds battle the fullest," Seaheart echoed again. Greenpaw took a single steadying breathe, and leapt out at the ginger she-cat with a single, long leap, and attached herself to the cat's back with her claws. The she-cat yowled in surprise, staggering. "I'm not a pretty kitty!" Greenpaw howled, forgetting about Twilightstar, and bit the she-cat's shoulder, hard.

The FernClan cat shrieked, dropping to her belly and rolling onto her back, crushing Greenpaw beneath her. Greenpaw felt the wind knock out her her, and thought quickly – she raked her paw over the side of the she-cat's belly, just barely able to reach. The she-cat shrieked again and jumped off of Greenpaw. Greenpaw leapt to her feet again, bracing for an attack, but the she-cat just stood their, furiously glaring at her. "What are you even ding here, anyway?" the she-cat demanded in discontempt. "The beaches are full of prey! What are you even doing here?"

Greenpaw was huffing and puffing, trying to catch her breath. The she-cat seemed a little disheveled, and had to be hurting from the scratches and bites Greenpaw bestowed her with, but the FernClan cat just sat, shaking with anger. "I'm going to the Moonfly cave, you raccoon-brain!" Greenpaw spat, not trusting the she-cat enough to sit herseld. Greenpaw settled for a stance straight across from her, on the water's edge again. She tensed herself, just in case. "Can't you smell my leader up ahead?"

The she-cat glanced into the direction that Twilightstar was headed in, truly to the Moonfly cave. "Why aren't you with her, then?" she demanded. "Are you sure you aren't here to spy?"

"What is there to even spy on?" Greenpaw retorted furiously. "What could we possibly want from FernClan? What cat in their right mind would want to spend all day in the dry open like this?"

The she-hissed, but not aggressively. She seemed fairly relaxed. Greenpaw allowed herself to sit, but still tensed herself, bracing herself for a trick. "What's your name?" the she-cat demanded, again. She did a lot of demanding, Greenpaw noticed.

"Greenpaw," she decided to answer truthfully, unsure of what direction this was going in.

"Well, I'm Windpaw. And, for your information, there is plently to spy on. And I'm here to protect, it, because one day, it'll be all mine, and then I'll really rip your fur out!" Windpaw threatened, her fur bristling. But she made no move to fight. She gave her shoulder a little lick and winced.

"What do you mean, all yours?" Greenpaw asked suspiciously. She didn't like the sound of that. It also warily reminded her of her own mam. 'It's all yours.'

"I'm going to be leader of FernClan someday." Windpaw mewed matter-of-factly. "And all of this will be mine."

Greenpaw snorted. "Leader of FernClan, huh? And minxes have wings!"

Windpaw's eyes narrowed to an angry slit. "You best watch your tongue! The rest of the hunting patrol can't be far away. Let's see where your precious leader will be then!"

Greenpaw had to fight from rolling her eyes. "So scary," she taunted sarcastically. "SaltClan would rip FernClan to shreds like the flowers you are!"

And then, all of the sudden, Greenpaw felt a shove and was completely submerged in water, for the second time that day. She straightened her body and climbed onto the bank sputtering. Greenpaw blinked water from her eyes to see Windpaw some fox-lengths away, her tail whipping around, amused. "Get back to your leader!" Windpaw called out, turning around to leave. "Go to the Moonflies!"

Greenpaw felt a shiver of anger as she climbed onto the cracked dirt ground. She licked her shoulder a few times; it felt sore after being bashed into so many times. She wrinkled her nose at the taste of the fresh water on her salty fur. She had forgotten how accustomed she had grown to the salty sea water.

Greenpaw sighed, and watched Windpaw gallop away. The sun was setting, casting warm shades of red and yellow in the water, and darkening the admittedly beautiful surroundings. She was just past the Brokencreeks, and was sure Twilightstar was at the Moonfly cave by now. Greenpaw shook herself and picked up her pace, running like the wind to catch up to the cave in time.

It was nearly dark when Greenpaw approached the Moonfly Cave. She scented Twilightstar, but not so fresh that Greenpaw had to hang back. Twilightstar had entered the cave already.

Greenpaw was beside herself. With everything that had happened, she was anxious to share dreams with StarClan, or even with Brook Where Small Fiish Swim. She passed through the cascade of water eagerly, entering the dark cave. Greenpaw enjoyed the mist of the Bigfalls for a small moment before continuing into the dark cave, following Twilightstar's scent as guidance.

Last time, there had been no major twists or turns to get lost in, at least none that the cats knew of, but Greenpaw didn't want to take any risks. She followed Twilightstar's scent at a quick, impatient pace. It was still some time before she reached the dwellings of the Moonflies.

They were just as beautiful as the last time she had come. It felt like so long ago, that everything had changed in such a short period of time – but, Greenpaw realized, everything truly had changed.

Except for the Moonflies.

They flitted in and out of a crevice in the cave ceiling above her, gently circling and floating around the top, a couple at Greenpaw's own height, glowing brightly before her eyes.

She spotted Twilightstar's dark silhouette lying down already, a Moonfly perched on her nose. She heard the slight draw of breath from her leader, already sleeping and sharing dreams with her ancestors.

Greenpaw was sure she couldn't wake her without jumping onto of Twilightstar, or something of a similar matter, but even so, Greenpaw quietly padded to a few tail-lengths away from her leader before settling down. This was it, she realized. If she didn't wake up before Twilightstar, she would be in major trouble for defying her. But it was a risk she was willing to take.

Greenpaw lay down, crossing her paws to rest her head on. She kept her eyes open, though, and watched as a Moonfly from the very top of the cave flutter down in lazy circles, finally resting on Greenpaw's nose with a small tickle. Almost instantly, Greenpaw was dragged into a deep, deep sleep.

"Greenpaw," a voice called out to her, as assured and calm as the midnight sky. Greenpaw's eyes flickered open, full of energy as if she had been resting for a moon. She found herself in a small clearing, with four large, thick trees, full of leaves, encasing her. There was a rock jutting out of the ground directly across from her, where a blue-gray she-cat with a silver muzzle stood. The night seemed to kiss her pelt, shimmering happily with the myseriousness of the dark. The she-cat's eyes were millions of stars all pinpointed together in her iris, gleaming with the rest of her body. Her gaze upon Greenpaw kindly.

"Greenpaw," the she-cat repeated. Greenpaw stood up, blinking a few times to adjust to the majesty of the she-cat.

"Who are you?" Greenpaw asked. She asked, but she felt as if she already knew…as if a very long time ago, she had met this cat before…but where?

"My name is Bluestar." The she-cat answered. She was sitting comfortably, politely, her tail tucked around her paws. "I come from ThunderClan."

"ThunderClan…" Greenpaw repeated, trying the word on for size. "Those are RootClan's decendents. Right?"

"Right and wrong," Bluestar nodded. "RootClan came of it's own accord, but Midnightstar, of ThunderClan, has been called upon to lead them."

Greenpaw nodded, as if she understood. "But SaltClan comes of RiverClan. Why has a RiverClan cat not come to me?"

"CrookedStar of RiverClan is meeting with your leader, just a few dreams away." Bluestar answered, almost mischeviously. Greenpaw realized Bluestar was in on Greenpaw's deception. But there didn't seem to be any judgement in her tone.

"Troubled times are coming to SaltClan, Greenpaw." Bluestar announced, her tone now serious. "The dynamics of the Clifflands are to change once again, to be shifted in all sorts of directions."

"Is it Twilightstar?" Greenpaw asked feebly. She felt as if she already knew the answer. "Is Twilightstar going to die?"

"The future is not written in stone, Greenpaw." Bluestar answered carefully. "There are many things we can do to change the outcome."

"So Twilightstar isn't going to die, then." Greenpaw mewed, equally as careful.

"The future of Twilightstar does not rest in your paws, young apprentice. However, the rest of the Clan may." Bluestar told her. "You have a very precarious habit of being in the middle of everything around camp."

She didn't sound patronizing, but Greenpaw still felt her fur rise. "Well, maybe, but –"

"I am not judging you, young one. Nor should you judge yourself too harshly. Every cat has faults and strengths. Seaheart will teach you how to use your faults as strengths. But you must be honest with him." Bluestar mewed firmly. "Seaheart can handle right _now_ what Twilightstar may have difficult with. Seaheart must know all. The precipice of the Clan leans on him."

"So that's all?" Greenpaw asked, feeling a little bit annoyed with her ancestor. "All you're going to tell me is to tell my mentor everything? What about Silverweb? And Waterwisp? If you ask me, RootClan is up to something very fishy, and I know fish, I eat them –"

"Greenpaw." Bluestar halted her. She did not seem angry, but her tone was final. "There is nothing left for you to know. The future shall unfold how it will. Every decision made, by any cat, has a ripple effect on the yet to come. Your decision must be to trust Seaheart. The future may not be written in stone, but some things are harder than others. Seaheart will find it easier than you. That is not your responsibility."

"So you're basically telling me to stay out of it and let Seaheart handle everything," Greenpaw muttered, now definitely annoyed. "I came all this way to be told to mind to my mentor?"

"Greenpaw, you've come all of this way out of defiance. I don't think you are in a position to be making demands." Bluestar warned. "Nor are you listening. Listen to your mentor, but also talk to him. Seaheart is a very forgiving cat, and a very understanding one, at that. I doubt you will go heavily punished for sharing with him the truth." Bluestar paused, and sighed. "I'm not telling you to 'stay out of it', either. You are always tangled in everything, and I don't expect that to change. What I expect to see changed is honesty."

"Honesty." Greenpaw mumbled. "Fine."

"Be careful, young one." Bluestar mewed, her tone softening. "Your curiosity and arrogance are both a blessing and a curse. Curiosity will kill the cat…if the cat doesn't know what to do with it."

Greenpaw froze. She looked around wildly, but Bluestar was gone.

And then, all of the sudden, she was back in the Moonfly cave, with Twilightstar towering over her. "What in the name of StarClan do you think you are doing?" she hissed, shaking with anger.

But Greenpaw's mind was elsewhere.

Did Bluestar just predict Greenpaw's death?

 **Cheesy way to end the chapter, just hold on with me. I promise it isn't going in a cheesy direction. Anyway, we are VERY close to the end of Book One. Let me know what you think so far, read and review! :)**


	24. Chapter 24

Greenpaw woke up alone.

Last night had been an overall disaster. Twilightstar was furious, Sunpaw was hurt, and Seaheart was disappointed. The three cats that Greenpaw valued most were all upset with her.

And so, Greenpaw woke up alone.

The walk back to the hollow had been painful and embarrassing. Twilightstar had instantly banned Greenpaw from the upcoming Gatheringalmost as soon as they were outside the Moonfly cave, and then said nothing more on the walk back. The silence was the most painful part; Twilightstar pointedly walking in front of her, as if Greenpaw didn't exist, was the most embarrassing.

Plus, it gave Greenpaw far too much time to think. She felt stressed and confused, more confused than she had been even before Greenpaw shared dreams with Bluestar. The ThunderClan ancestor had left Greenpaw with so many thoughts that her brain felt far too cramped.

As for being banned from the Gathering…Greenpaw sighed, standing up to shake the bits of dried fern from her pelt that had clung overnight.

Seaheart had been waiting up for Greenpaw when the leader and the apprentice returned; Greenpaw knew it was for her, because Seaheart didn't even as much flick his tail in acknowledgement of Twilightstar.

The SaltClan leader padded right past her deputy when they returned and went straight to her den. "Well, lass." Seaheart sighed. "What trouble did you get into this time?"

 _Your decision must be to trust Seaheart._ Bluestar's words echoed in Greenpaw's mind. Those words and many more swirled around her head. Greenpaw felt as if there was not much left to do but to trust Bluestar's judgement.

And so, lying down with Seaheart outside Pearlpelt's den last night, Greenpaw took a deep breath and began to share her worries with her mentor. Greenpaw told him about Waterwisp sneaking into the camp, about Silverweb's implications that Twilightstar wanted to leave her Clan, about Sunpaw's sleep-walking and omen of death. Greenpaw felt most guilty sharing about Sunpaw. She felt as if that wasn't her story, or her secret to share, and her growling stomach churned when telling Seaheart Sunpaw's secret.

Greenoaw told him about following Twilightstar, about meeting Windpaw, and about sharing dreams with Bluestar. Greenpaw told Seaheart what Bluestar had told her in her dreams; about the Clifflands changing, about the uncertain future, and her vague response when Greenpaw asked about Twilighstar's death. Greenpaw told him that the only reason she was telling him this was because Bluestar had told her to do so.

Seaheart had a troubled look in his eyes, and his whiskers twitched when Greenpaw told him that she was only telling him by Bluestar's command. "An' why didn't ye tell me before, young one? Why didn't ye an' Sunpaw come to one of us, me or Shellstream? Do ye not trust me, lass?"

Greenpaw felt her heart pound beneath her chest fur. Seaheart didn't sound hurt, but he did sound disappointed. And there had been far too much disappointment directed towards her that night. Even _Bluestar_ didn't seem comfortable with Greenpaw's involvement in the camp.

"It's not that I don't trust you, Seaheart." Greenpaw mumbled, staring hard at the ground. She was afraid to meet his eyes. "I wanted to tell you about Waterwisp. I did. But Sunpaw…"

Greenpaw paused. She couldn't tell Seaheart that Sunpaw was the reason she didn't tell him what was going on. Sunpaw shouldn't be in trouble, just because Greenpaw stupidly snuck off to go to the Moonfly cave. She wouldn't let that happen.

"Sunpaw what, lass?" Seaheart coaxed, his mew even and understanding.

"I thought the two of us could figure it out," Greenpaw mewed hastily. "But Sunpaw wanted to tell you both, so I went about it by myself instead."

Greenpaw glanced up. Seaheart was watching her carefully. "An' you're sure of that, lass?"

Greenpaw nodded. "I'm sorry, Seaheart. I just wanted answers."

The duo sat silently for a long time. The sunrise was peeking out of the horizon, casting warm rays of reddish-gold sun on the back of the camp, cool shadows covering the bulk. Cats were beginning to wake. Greenpaw saw Stormrush and Frogleg pad over to the dwindling fresh-kill pile, sniffing it curiously.

Stormrush lifted her head and spotted Seaheart and Greenpaw, and began to make her way over – probably to inquire about patrols – but Seaheart flicked his tail, dismissing Stormrush before she made it halfway across the camp. Stormrush stared at them with hard brown eyes for a moment before turning away, back to Frogleg.

"Twilightstar has already punished you." Seaheart mewed at last, as Greenpaw's eyes began to droop. Hunger and sleepiness had been battling inside her, and sleep was overtaking her. "Not being able to attend the upcoming Gathering is punishment enough. Go get some sleep. I'll expect you awake by sun-high, ready for a patrol."

But the disappointment in her didn't end there. As Greenpaw heaved her way over to the apprentice's den with heavy paws and a drooping tail, Sunpaw accosted her.

"Where were you?" she hissed, showing uncharacteristic anger. There was venom in her voice. "Where did you go? Why did you leave me? Or at least tell me where you were? Seaheart told us that Twilightstar had gone to share dreams with StarClan, all the while nobody has any idea where you snuck off to! What were you thinking? And why didn't you _tell me_?"

Greenpaw was tacken aback, to say the least. She had never heard Sunpaw say so much at one time, so accusing, angry, hurt. Anger being the highest emotion radiating off of her fine golden pelt. Greenpaw shrunk back, away from Sunpaw, who was still hissing away, her back arched in anger. Greenpaw felt an unfamiliar flicker of emotion: fear.

"I…had to get answers, Sunpaw!" Greenpaw mewed miserably. "So much has happened this past moon…I just…I needed to know!"

"Well I hope you figured it all out!" Sunpaw huffed. She turned abruptly away from Greenpaw and stalked toward Riverpaw, who was waiting by the hollow entrance. Stormrush and Hollowclaw quickly joined them, and they made their way out of the hollow.

Greenpaw padded bleakly into the den, and circled around her nest. _Everything is so wrong!_ She thought to herself, curling up in the empty apprentice's den. She didn't have the energy to wonder where Sharkpaw and Tidepaw were. She tucked her head into her belly fur, and sorrowfully fell into a deep sleep, unaided by any type of dreams.

And so, she woke up alone.

The sharp sun-high light was flooding into the den, and Greenpaw blearily wondered how she had been able to sleep with the hot, piercing rays of sun penetrating the den. She stood up, and stumbled over her front paws, nearly planting her face in Sunpaw's empty nest. Her stomach growled ravenously as if in answer, and Greenpaw padded outside the den.

It was quiet afternoon. Seaheart was nowhere to be seen. Sandflame and Shellstream were chatting quietly near the warrior's den, and Tidepaw's dark striped tail was poking out of Pearlpelt's den. She tiredly wondered what he was doing there, and made her way to the small fresh-kill pile.

Apparently, there hadn't been a hunting patrol that morning, because most of the fresh-kill left – a few plump dunnarts, a small pile smelly anchovies, a thin rabbit, and a frog that was luke-warm to the touch of her paw – was definitely not fresh.

She selected two of the dunnarts and ate them right then and there, her stomach screaming for some sort of nourishment. However plump, she finished the dunnarts in six large, juicy mouthfuls. They were warm, but warm by the humid beach heat that even a deep, shaded hole couldn't completely avoid.

Licking her muzzle clean, with a full stomach that would finally allow her to think properly, Greenpaw scanned the camp again. Seaheart was still nowhere to be seen.

She knew he was expecting her for a patrol, and figured the deputy must be around the camp somewhere. Greenpaw realized he would probably be with Twilightstar, in her den, if not in plain sight of the camp. Greenpaw took a deep breath to calm her now-racing heart, and knew she would have to face Twilightstar eventually, which may as well be right now. Perhaps, if Greenpaw was apologetic enough, Twilightstar would let her go to the gathering…

Greenpaw bounded over to Twilightstar's den entrance with newfound strength from the dunnarts. She felt her full stomach roll uncomfortably as she paused outside the entrance. She quickly realized she over-ate, and that the patrol would be miserable with an achingly full stomach to manage. She promised herself to see if Pearlpelt had any mint or partridge pea for a stomach ache before they left.

Greenpaw couldn't hear anything outside the den, but knew how deep Twilightstar's den was. She pushed her way through the entrance, which an apprentice must have adorned with dried sea grass and fern as cover. The den was cool as a result, and Greenpaw took a deep breath of the fresh-tasting air before padding deeper into the den.

But neither Seaheart or Twilightstar were inside. Greenpaw racked her brain. Where would they be? Did Seaheart forget about her? Was Twilightstar avoiding the camp, annoyed with Greenpaw?

Greenpaw exited with her head hanging. As she pushed through the grassy wall, Greenpaw crashed into the creamy white chest of Shellstream with an "oof".

"What were you doing in Twilightstar's den, Greenpaw?" Shellstream asked sharply, not moving despite Greenpaw's accidental head-butt.

"Looking for Twilightstar and Seaheart," she answered tiredly. It seemed that everyone was going to punish her for sneaking off to the Moonfly cave. "I'm supposed to go on a patrol at sun-high."

Shellstream nodded. "So you were, but Seaheart decided to go on the patrol early. Twilightstar is asking questions about the Snakeroot-trees that RootClan claimed, and Seahert is looking to get some answers."

"Oh," was all Greenpaw could mew. Her pounding heart deflated. She would have loved to join the spy patrol. Was she going to be punished for all of eternity?

"Seaheart asked me to tell you to tend to the nursery while he was gone. It seems that Rosekit somehow trecked fleas in, and the queens and kits are covered. Fetch some smartweed from Pearlpelt and be sure to rub the queens and kits down thoroughly. Coralclaw and Beachflower may need you to help remove fleas."

Greenpaw blinked. She hadn't visited Beachflower in forever, it seemed – and even though the smartweed stung cracked paws (which hers most definitely were), and checking for fleas wasn't necessarily exciting, perhaps Beachflower would be kind to her. Beachflower was always gentle, and seemed to have a special warm place reserved for Greenpaw. She had no idea why, but embraced it fully whenever she could.

"Yes, Shellstream. I will." Greenpaw nodded.

Shellstream observed her suspiciously. "No catty remarks?"

Greenpaw shook her head. "No. No catty remarks."

Shellstream was satisfied and turned away with a flourish of her fluffy blue-gray tail. Greenpaw exited Twilightstar's den and made the short walk over to Pearlpelt's. She could hear the she-cat bumbling around inside and invited herself in with a soft mew. "Pearlpelt?"

The old silver she-cat faced Greenpaw with bright green eyes that gave nothing away. She couldn't tell whether or not Pearlpelt would punish her as well. It made her uncomfortable.

"You'll need some smartweed for the nursery," Pearlpelt rasped simply, portraying no emotion. But, Greenpaw reminded herself, that was not unusual of the old she-cat. "You know to rub it all over? And to not touch your eyes after until you wash your paws?"

Greenpaw bobbed her head. "Yes, Pearlpelt, I know." Greenpaw paused, before continuing on a whim. "While I'm out washing, do you need any herbs stocked up that I could bring back for you?"

Pearlpelt glanced at her, still showing no emotion. "Wiregrass and hog plumb. Someone came to me this morning with worms. And where one cat has it, there may be more coming, if they ate the same infected prey – I'd like to stocked up on it, just in case."

Greenpaw grimanced. "Worms? From what prey?"

Pearlpelt flicked her tail, organizing dried piles of herbs on the rock shelves. She wasn't looking at her, but responded matter-of-factly. "The mice are suspect. Which means the dunnarts may be as well. I've just sent Tidepaw to clear the fresh-kill pile, just in case."

Greenpaw felt her heart drop to her bloated stomach. Oh, no. Oh, not the worms…

"Pearlpelt, I ate two dunnarts before coming to see you, before the fresh-kill pile was cleared out." Greenpaw told her miserably. Could the day get any worse? "Do you think I might be infected?"

Pearlpelt sighed, and turned to face her. Her bright green eyes penetrated Greenpaw's. "You very may as well. There's a rare chance that you could pass it on to anyone by simply being around them, but there are young kits in the nursery. We can't have you around them until we make sure."

 _Yep, it can get worse._ "What shall I do, then?"

"Rest." Pearlpelt replied without hesitation. "Until we know for sure whether or not you've been infected, I'm keeping you secluded with Sharkpaw. If there are no worms in your dirt over the next five sunrises, you can return to normal duties. But I won't have you infecting the rest of the camp on the off-chance you do have it. Worms are a nasty business. Be sure to tell me when you make your dirt. Now, go fetch a nest in the back. I'm bringing you marigold; we'll see how much you can vomit up."

And this was Greenpaw's rock bottom.

 **So, I lied. There are OFFICIALLY only TWO CHAPTERS LEFT NOW! And the last one is only a few short pages...Be excited! I know I am! Read and review, so I can figure out how you feel about BOOK TWO!**


	25. Chapter 25

The first two days that Pearlpelt had kept Greenpaw in a quarantined captivity were some of the worst of Greenpaw's short life. All there was to do was listen to Sharkpaw, whose personality hadn't improved since the last time she had formally spoken to him – more specifically, when Sharkpaw tried to pass a move over Sunpaw.

The gray-and-white striped tabby apprentice was even grumpier than usual. He definitely had worms – Greenpaw could see the little white larvae wiggling around in his dirt through the darkness of the sick den. Greenpaw gagged every time.

Luckily, she hadn't seen any worms in her dirt – yet. Greenpaw had vomited up most of the dunnarts after eating the marigold, but Pearlpelt held her in the den– held her hostage, it felt like – "just in case, for the health of the clan."

Sharkpaw was constantly complaining of a bellyache, despite the small amounts of tayon berries Pearlpelt gave him with his wiregrass and hog plumb. By the second day, Greenpaw was really fed up.

"I thought the tayon berries were suppose to be helping, Pearlpelt!" Sharkpaw whined, for the hundredth time. "I just feel worse!"

Greenpaw couldn't bite her tongue anymore, despite trying to be on her best behavior ever since the…incident. She couldn't control her mouth as she snapped, "You sound like an ungracious kit, you lousy dung-eater! Could you just shut up for five breaths? Would it kill you, you anchovy?"

Sharkpaw's yellow-green eyes went wide, and Greenpaw could swear through the silence she could hear Pearlpelt hold back a huff that sounded a lot like hidden laughter. But Pearlpelt just went on organizing and re-organizing her herbs.

"There," Greenpaw grumbled. "Isn't that so much better? Don't you feel better already?"

"But I –" Sharkpaw began to protest, finally making sense of what Greenpaw growled.

"No!" Greenpaw interrupted with a small hiss. "If I have to watch you make your worm-infested dirt over the next three days, they are going to be silent, you big kit. Just shut. Up."

And he did. For the morning, at least.

"I heard you followed Twilightstar to the Moonfly cave." Sharkpaw mewed quite suddenly, later on in the day. Greenpaw could hear Pearlpelt pause for a slight moment. Pearlpelt rarely said anything to them, unless Greenpaw was bored enough to ask her questions about the different herbs – which, to be fair, was actually pretty interesting. But that seemed to be the only kind of conversation Pearlpelt could manage.

"I did," Greenpaw meowed carefully. Was this some kind of trick?

"And that you shared dreams with StarClan," Sharkpaw mewed lowly.

"I did." Greenpaw answered matter of factly.

"So they're really real?" Sharkpaw asked, even quieter. Greenpaw was a little flustered. Sharkpaw was usually nothing but a big brawny bully with feathers for brains. Why he was asking about StarClan, she couldn't imagine.

"Yes. StarClan is really real." She decided on a simple reply. A simple affirmation. The less details, the better. She didn't want to upset Pearlpelt.

"Very real, as a matter of fact." Pearlpelt's head popped into the sick den, which was situated in the very back of the medicine cat den. "StarClan are the reason we are here to see this sun-high."

Greenpaw was more than surprised to hear the old silver she-cat pipe up. She knew from Twilighstar's teachings that medicine cats had a special relationship with StarClan, but Pearlpelt never publically discussed such things.

Greenpaw felt a warm glow in her belly as she thought of StarClan, of SaltClan. Despite all the troubles she'd been having as a result of…every day she was becoming more and more accepting and thankful for her mistaken trailing of Twilightstar to the Moonfly cave. Greenpaw knew for absolute certainty what other cats in the Clan could only fantasize about.

Greenpaw realized, as Sharkpaw asked about StarClan, that she was the only cat in the Clan, besides Twilightstar and Pearlpelt, that could say with complete assurance that StarClan watched over them all.

"And they wanted us to form the Clans," Sharkpaw continued carefully. Greenpaw couldn't help but wonder where he was going with this.

"Yes." Pearlpelt answered plainly. She too, seemed interested in Sharkpaw's words.

"But why don't they share dreams with all of us? Why do cats have to go to the Moonfly cave to share dreams with them?" Sharkpaw blurted out in a quick string of mews. He seemed to be rushing, as if he needed to get everything off his chest then and there.

"You'll forget that I do not travel to the Moonfly cave," Pearlpelt corrected him. "And they share dreams with me. But developing a relationship with StarClan is a very special thing. You don't have to see them, or hear them, to find them within and around you."

Greenpaw liked Pearlpelt's answer. She never wondered what it must feel like to have not shared dreams with StarClan, to go your whole life with no idea who or what they were, and to then be separated into Clans and told what to believe in. Since Greenpaw had met StarClan before the Clans had even formed, she had taken this for granted.

She realized Sharkpaw probably wasn't the only one with questions.

After their conversation, Sharkpaw wasn't nearly as whiny. He also didn't tease Greenpaw like he use to. The next three sunrises went by relatively peacefully. Sharkpaw's worms finally cleared up, but even though Greenpaw had never shown signs of them, Pearlpelt still kept them that final fifth day, with their strict diet of fish, wiregrass, and hog plumb.

But Sharkpaw's relative silence caused Greenpaw to have almost too _much_ quiet time. Too much time to wonder how Sunpaw was, what she was doing, who she was doing it with…Pearlpelt wouldn't allow them visitors, so Greenpaw had no idea whether or not Sunpaw had forgiven her yet, or if she was still angry.

Greenpaw couldn't stand to think what would happen if Sunpaw didn't want to be her friend anymore. Greenpaw was quite certain she couldn't exist without Sunpaw by her side. Sunpaw was her perfect counterpart. Well, almost perfect…she wasn't there to stop Greenpaw from following Twilightstar…

But Greenpaw had made peace with herself. The only nags in her mind now were not regarding punishing herself, but wondering if Twilightstar, Seaheart, and Sunpaw had absolved their anger or disappointment with her…which, Greenpaw supposed was another form of punishment in of itself. Whenever Greenpaw thought too deeply, she must have shown a blank face, because Sharkpaw would flick a bit of moss or fern at her, and mew, "Off to StarClan again?"

So when the fifth day finally broke, and Greenpaw and Sharkpaw were free to go, the first thing she wanted to do was find Sunpaw. She and Sharkpaw burst out of Pearlpelt's den, hollering thank-you's behind them, into the cool night air. A full moon was shining down from the sky above above, the very last rays of sun red on the cliffside. The air tasted fantastic, like wonder and possibility. Greenpaw gave the air a hard sniff, her eyes closed, as she enjoyed the fresh air for a few moments, before a small bundle of fur rammed into her side, knocking the breath out of her.

"Umph!" Greenpaw groaned, tipping over onto her side. Five days of not moving left her limbs awfully sore. "What in the name of –"

"StarClan?" Sharkpaw answered mischeviously, giving her a purr before heading towards the apprentices' den. Greenpaw glanced down at her side, seeing a soft bundle of sandy colored fur with ginger markings tangled in limbs.

"Greenpaw!" Rosekit gasped, scrambling onto her paws. "I haven't seen you in _forever_! Pearlpelt wouldn't let me in! She threatened to barricade the den!"

Greenpaw purred, licking the top of the little kit's soft head. "Believe me, I know. She wouldn't let anyone see me. Where is your mam?"

"Hello, Greenpaw," Beachflower's soft mew answered. The sandy colored she-cat's brown-flecked pelt looked dark in the fading sunset light, but her green eyes were shining brightly. They had a soft gentleness to them that Greenpaw missed. "It has been a while."

"Beachflower!" Greenpaw exclaimed, jumping up to press her flank to Beachflower's warm pelt. The she-cat was purring.

"Bluekit has missed you too, Greenpaw." Rosekit told her matter-of-factly, wedging herself inbetween her mam and the apprentice. Bright green eyes – so familiar yet so foreign – gazed up at Greenpaw between them. "He even told me so!"

"You eyes changed!" Greenpaw exclaimed. "Bluekit told you? He's found his voice now?"

"Well, he may have found it," Rosekit told her earnestly. "But he looses it all the time."

"And Rosekit doesn't know when to loose hers," Beachflower mewed gently, a light teasing tone in her voice.

"Where is Bluekit?" Greenpaw asked. She couldn't see the little blue-gray furball.

Then he stepped out from behind his mam as Beachflower and Greenpaw stepped away from one another, facing each other. Rosekit sat right in between them, facing Greenpaw, and Bluekit wobbled over on still-shakey paws.

"Hi, Greenpaw." He mewed quietly, blinking at her with kit-blue eyes.

"Hi, Bluekit." Greenpaw purred back. It felt so good to be out of that cave! Had she really missed so much?

"I was just off to get some rosemary from Pearlpelt," Beachflower explained. "Shrimpkit's tail is bothering him, and a rosemary poltice seems to work well for him. Rosekit simply couldn't resist another opportunity to bother Pearlpelt about seeing you, and Bluekit likes seeing the medicine cat den."

"Well, I've _definitely_ seen enough of the medicine cat's den." Greenpaw huffed. "For at least some seasons. Or maybe forever." she added as an afterthought. "How is Coralclaw?"

Beachflower hesitated before answering, and Rosekit couldn't help but to jump into the conversation.

"Still cranky," the kit reported. "And she still won't let me play with Shrimpkit! Coralclaw only lets Bluekit bring him his rosemary, and that's only because Shrimpkit won't let Coralclaw or Pearlpelt put it on him."

"Not even a sniff?" Greenpaw asked micheviously.

"Not even a _sniff_!" Rosekit complained. Greenpaw once more noted how much she would love Rosekit for her own apprentice. She'd tell Rosekit all of the vague sayings that Seaheart told Greenpaw, even if Greenpaw still didn't understand them. Watching Rosekit try to work them out would probably be enough laughter to last for days. She wondered if maybe Sunpaw could mentor Bluekit, and then they could –

Greenpaw stopped short of her thinking. Sunpaw! Where was she? She glanced around, and a small claw battered her chest. "Hey!" Greenpaw exclaimed.

"You aren't listening," Rosekit mewed, exasperated. "I beat Bluekit this morning! And last night! He didn't stand a chance!"

"Well, that isn't a very fair opponent," Greenpaw replied, her mew sharp with humor. "He's hardly half your size!" But her mind was still elsewhere. Why hadn't Sunpaw approached her yet?

Rosekit didn't seem to mind the jab, because she went on. "Yeah, he's small, but he could still win if he was strong enough! That's the point; _I'm_ stronger, and always will be!" Greenpaw glanced down to see the young kit's chest puffed out with pride. Greenpaw wondered why Bluekit didn't argue with her, but he just watched them quietly with large, observant eyes.

"Hey, Beachflower," Greenpaw asked suddenly. "Have you seen –"

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the Highledge for a Clan meeting!" a familiar voice yowled. Greenpaw snapped her head back. Twilightstar!

"Oh, a Clan meeting!" Rosekit exclaimed with excitement. "Can I go, mam? Can I? We're already out! Please, mam? Please?"

"Yes, yes, all right." Beachflower agreed. There was a twinkle in her green eyes when Greenpaw looked back at her. "So determined," Beachflower mewed as they walked over to the Highledge, Rosekit leading them with a tall tail. "She reminds me so much of you, Greenpaw. Especially before your apprentice ceremony. But you've grown so much, even in a short moon. I can only hope Rosekit does as well, after she is apprenticed."

Greenpaw dipped her head with a purr at the compliment. Gfreenpaw decided to hold her tongue in expressing her wishes that _she_ would be Rosekit's mentor, when the time came. There was a right time to tell Beachflower. Perhaps Beachflower could even talk with Twilightstar and try and persuade the stubborn leader, when the time came.

All of SaltClan's cats were quickly gathered beneath the Highledge. Seaheart was standing below the Highledge, where Twilightstar was perched. Seaheart met Greenpaw's eyes and blinked a welcome. Greenpaw blinked back hurridly, before glancing over the gathered cats for Sunpaw. Where could she –

And then there was a warm flank pressed against hers, and a low purr. "Sunpaw!" Greenpaw exclaimed loudly, turning her head to furiously lick her beloved friend. There was silence across the hollow, and Greenpaw stopped, looking back around her. Heads were turned towards her, many eyes sparkling with laughter. "Sorry." Greenpaw muttered, her ears flat. But she only let herself be embarrassed for a moment before turning back to Sunpaw. Greenpaw was about to apologize as best as she could before Sunpaw laid her sheathed paw over Greenpaw's. She licked the side of Greenpaw's face, behind her whiskers, before whispering a light "I'm glad you're okay." Then she nudged Greenpaw's face to the Highledge.

Greenpaw could instantly sense that all was forgiven. But she couldn't help but notice how tired Sunpaw looked. Her breathing was slow, and her eyes were constantly blinking, as if she had to battle herself from nodding off. Greenpaw wondered why, wondered why she wasn't getting enough sleep…

"Cats of SaltClan," Twilightstar began, drawing Greenpaw's worried attention away from Sunpaw. "Tonight is the first true Gathering. There will be much discussed and decided tonight, I expect, and while I'd like to bring all of you, it simply is not possible. I must leave enough warriors behind to defend the camp – even though there is a truce, we do not know if our Clan counterparts will abide. Apart from that, there is a raccoon running loose on the beach, which presents another danger. For this reason, tonight, I will bring Seaheart, Sandflame, Hollowclaw, Frogleg, Riverpaw, Tidepaw, and Sunpaw. Shellstream, Stormrush, Reedtail, Sharkpaw and Sunpaw will remain behind to defend the camp."

Twilightstar's speech ended as soon as it began. With the flick of her tail, she leapt off of the Highledge, and bounded out of the camp, the named cats following after her. Sunpaw gave Greenpaw a quick lick behind her whiskers again before following the other cats out of the hollow.

Twilightstar didn't leave before Greenpaw could see how haggard the she-cat was looking. Greenpaw didn't believe the she-cat was that old, but she looked like she had lived many more seasons than any cat should.

Twilightstar was pushed out of her mind at Rosekit's impertinent mew. "Why can't we go to the Gathering, mam? I'm big enough! I can go!"

"Not quite yet, sweetling." Beachflower mewed, licking the top of Rosekit's head. "In your own time."

"But I want to!" Rosekit's fur bristled. "I want to see all the cats!"

"You've already been to a Gathering, you know, Rosekit." Greenpaw told her intently. "You _and_ Bluekit. Seaheart helped carry you back to camp."

Rosekit's green eyes widened. "Did I really, Greenpaw? Mam? Did I really?"

"You did." Greenpaw nodded. "But you and me have to stay this time, to help protect and defend the camp. What if that raccoon comes? Do you want him to eat Shrimpkit, just because we weren't here to protect him?"

"Well, I mean," Rosekit mewed disdainfully. "Coralclaw is such a grump, anyway, and Shrimpkit—"

"Rosekit!" Beachflower scolded, cuffing the young kit lightly on her ear. "Don't say such things!"

"Sorry, mam." Rosekit muttered, no apology in her tone. "But—"

"Come on, Rosekit." Greenpaw interrupted, flicking her tail toward the back of the camp. "I'll show you how you can attack the raccoon if it comes. It'll be a good battle, if nothing else."

Beachflower blinked gratefully at Greenpaw, and began to pad toward Pearlpelt's den for Shrimpkit's rosemary. "You can come too, Bluekit." Greenpaw invited. But the little kit shook his head. "No, I want to help Shrimpkit." He told her before scampering after Beachflower.

Greenpaw turned back to Rosekit. "Well, come on –"

But Rosekit was already at the back of the camp, tripping over her tail. "Come on, Greenpaw!" she yowled. "Come and teach me!"

Greenpaw sighed, shaking her head, wondering if she was ever as forward as Rosekit was. So much had changed in such a short moon. She padded over toward Rosekit, and waited for Sunpaw to return.

 **THERE IS ONE MORE SHORT CHAPTER LEFT! That will be the END of BOOK ONE. Are you excited? Because I'm excited. Read and review!**


	26. Chapter 26

The cats returned in a flurry of fur as clouds began darkening the bright night sky.

They smelled of fear and confusion, and before Greenpaw could process anything, Twilightstar had leapt onto the Highledge and called for a Clan meeting.

Confused, Stormrush and Shellstream abandoned their post at the center of the camp and trotted over to the cats that had returned, who out of breathe, beneath the Highledge. Beachflower poked her head out of the nursery, and even Pearlpelt and Bluekit came out of the medicine cat's den in a haze of bewilderment.

Rosekit had been chasing Greenpaw, and crashed into her side with a "oomf!" Greenpaw glanced down to the kit's wide green eyes, which were so much like her mams, but full of considerably more energy and willfulness. "What's going on, Greenpaw? Why does it smell so scary?"

Greenpaw felt her heart sink. Even brave, innocent little Rosekit could sense the tension. "I don't know," Greenpaw murmured, suddenly afraid. It was a sensation she wasn't use to, fear, but it was contagious as it spread throughout the camp like a dry season wildfire.

Sharkpaw had joined Greenpaw and Rosekit's games shortly after the cats left for the Gathering, pretending to be the raccoon while Greenpaw had instructed Roseki's attack. Sharkpaw was now frozen in his hunters crouch, looking at Greenpaw with questions in his eyes. There was no fear coming from him, Greenpaw was glad to know – it seemed to calm her slightly. But there was still panic in the air.

Even Coralclaw was gathered around the back edge of the assembled cats, Shrimpkit hidden behind her front paws and covered by her tail. Beachflower was close behind her, her head swiveling back and forth as her tail flicked, herding Rosekit and Bluekit back to her. Rosekit seemed determined not to be scared, but still ran to her mam at a ferocious speed, burying her face in her mam's sandy, dark brown-flecked fur.

Sharkpaw and Greenpaw followed in suit, swiftly meeting SaltClan beneath the Highledge. Sunpaw, Riverpaw and Tidepaw quickly joined them, Sunpaw's eyes round with anxiety. Greenpaw pressed her flank against Sunpaw's warm yellow and white pelt and wrapped their tails together, trying to soothe the unspoken fear in Sunpaw. Before she could ask Sunpaw what happened, Twilightstar spoke.

"Cats of SaltClan," Twilightstar yowled, her fur bristling and whiskers twitching angrily. The she-cat looked clearly disheveled, but there was a determined glint in her eyes. Greenpaw couldn't help but think that her leader wasn't the she-cat Greenpaw had come to know a moon ago. "The Gathering is a night of truce, and we shall not fight against StarClan's will. So tonight, we shall rest, and tomorrow we shall feast, to gather and prepare our strength for attack!"

Greenpaw felt her heart thump in her chest. Attack? What attack? What in the name of StarClan had happened at the Gathering?

"RootClan has, once again, denied us land that is rightfully ours. The Snakeroot-trees are on the beach shore, and therefore a part of us. Tomorrow, we shall fight for what is ours!"

Twilightstar's proclamation was met by a small buzz of chattering cats beneath her. There were no yowls of agreement, no battle calls. Uncertainty added to the confusion-and-fear-scent. Greenpaw sucked in a breath. What did this mean?

Suddenly, Greenpaw's vision centered in on Silverweb. Greenpaw had all but forgotten about the she-cat when she was cooped up in the sick den, adjascent to many other thoughts of Sunpaw and Twilightstar and Seaheart and Bluestar and Waterwisp to think about in her five day quarantine with Sharkpaw.

The she-cat stood dangerously still, not a muscle twitching. Silverweb didn't even appear to be breathing. Greenpaw wondered what the she-cat was thinking…and wondered of the suspicious gleam in Silverweb's eyes. She realized that the ex-RootClan she-cat had no idea what was happening either – she had been banned from upcoming Gatherings until she proved her loyalties to SaltClan. The declaration fo war against RootClan was probably an even bigger shock to Silverweb – after all, the silver she-cat had lived with RootClan for almost a moon. She had learned how to become a Clan member with the strange underground cats, under Midnightstar's command…

And what of Waterwisp? What if they should face her in battle? Was she far along enough in her kitting so that she wouldn't be a part of the fight? What if she wasn't? Waterwisp wasn't being trained as a medicine cat anymore, as Silverweb had told Greenpaw and Sunpaw…she had taken her warrior name.

Greenpaw wondered how many other cats Silverweb had told of this news. She wondered if Twilightstar knew. She wondered how much of this attack was truly about land, and how much of it was about revenge over the uncertainty and precariousness of the situation with Silverweb and Waterwisp…

Twilightstar ignored the hesitation of the mews beneath her, paying no mind to the lack of support so far. She steadied her mew this time before continuing. She flicked her tail, and the Clan was silent once again.

"I know that each and every one of you, who founded their life near the water, miss the Snakeroot-tree territory. You may have made your homes there. You may have learned how to catch frogs, find and avoid snakes, and camoflauge yourself among the bracken water there. You may have even raised your kits in the dryer, spacious, twisting and protective tree roots. So, shall we all bow down and accept that RootClan has claimed ownership over your old homes? Shall we submit to their will? Shall we let what is ours go unclaimed?"

A flurry of anger began to swirl around inside Greenpaw as she remembered hunting the Snakeroot-trees with her mam. Her mam had taught her how to crawl into the dryer roots, to hide and wait for prey. Water voles, birds, dunnarts and mice often picked around the Snakeroot-trees for seeds or worms to eat. It was easy to snatch your claw out and drag them into the roots, where prey didn't have much room or chance to escape. It was also excellent hiding places from snakes, so long as you checked to make sure there were none hiding in there before you.

"Those holes in the ground are dangerous," her mam had warned Greenpaw on a sunny day, light filtering through the Snakeroot-tree's leafy canvas. It cast light shadows on the ground, bouncing in the beach breeze. A cast of greens and golds coupled with the smells of salt-wet dirt.

It smelled like home.

"Never stick your paw or your nose into these holes, young one. If there are snakes hiding in there, they won't appreciate it, and that'll be the end of you. Understand?"

"I understand, mam." Greenpaw had told her, her mew little more than a squeak, much like Rosekit's. "I promise I won't."

And all of the sudden, Greenpaw couldn't stalk the Snakeroot-trees anymore. Because they were inside RootClan's boundary.

Well. Not for long, Greenpaw vouched. Not for long.

It seemed that many of the other cats around her were getting fired up as well as memories poured over them. The small whispers soon transformed to a collection of yowls, battle-hungry for their rightful home.

"Cats of SaltClan!" Twilightstar howled over them. "Tomorrow, Snakeroot-trees will be ours again!"

Greenpaw couldn't help but let out a battle-thirsy shriek of approval with her clanmates. All of the sudden, she felt an entity around her, as the Clan became one. Sharkpaw and Riverpaw were chanting beside her, as Greenpaw's tail tightened around Sunpaw's. Greenpaw looked over and met Sunpaw's determined eyes. Tomorrow, they would fight together.

Tomorrow, the clan would be one.

 _END OF BOOK ONE_

 **So, there we have it. This is the official ending of BOOK ONE of the Nighttime Cats series. BOOK TWO, BATTLE EYES, will be posted in accordance to the feedback I get in the review. Usually, I like to finish a book and post it as I edit it, but enough people are hungry enough I'll break my rule and post it by chapter as I write it. Either way, updates will be kept on my profile in regards to the status of BATTLE EYES. Keep an eye out, and my StarClan light your path! :)**


End file.
